Prosecutor vs. Felon: The narrative that dominated the DNC was powerful…and problematic

Mother Jones illustration; Eric Risberg/AP, Steven Hirsch/New York Post/AP Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. A familiar script echoed throughout the United Center arena on Monday night: “In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate but equally important groups. The police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.”  It was an obvious nod to the long-running television show, Law & Order, and the crowd at the Democratic National Convention laughed in recognition. It was also clear why the campaign created this video: Kamala Harris’ history as a prosecutor is a tantalizing contrast to former president Donald Trump, who has been found guilty on 34 felony charges. “I took on perpetrators of all kinds,” Harris recently said at a rally. “I know Donald Trump’s type.” It’s a 180-degree turn from her 2020 presidential bid when her prosecutorial role was something of a liability. Amid a national reckoning about murders of Black men at the hands of police, a common refrain from some on the left was “Kamala is a cop.” While that critique wasn’t the only thing that hamstrung her campaign, it...