Kamala Harris’s husband accused of being flirty and misogynistic at work: Report

Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman of the US, is facing accusations of inappropriate behaviour during his time at the Los Angeles law firm Venable, according to a report from the Daily Mail. Allegations include Emhoff being “flirty” with women at the firm, retaliating against those who didn’t reciprocate, and hiring an unqualified assistant based on her appearance.
Emhoff, who led the firm’s Los Angeles office from 2006 to 2017, reportedly targeted “young, pretty girls”, inviting them on limo rides, and had a reputation for mistreating those who didn’t respond favourably.
According to Daily Mail sources, former employees described Emhoff as a “misogynist” and an “a–hole”. One unnamed ex-staffer recalled an incident where Emhoff allegedly yelled at a female partner, telling her to “get the f-k out of my office”, later bragging to male colleagues about “putting her in her place”.
A female former employee further claimed Emhoff’s behaviour was widely known, saying, “He was very flirty with female colleagues.” She added that those who didn’t respond positively would end up on his “s-t list” or face retaliation. “There were deadlines that, if you were one of his favourite people, wouldn’t apply. But if you weren’t, they would,” she explained, reported the Daily Mail.
These accusations surfaced alongside a 2019 lawsuit filed by former legal secretary Marjan Rabbi, which detailed abusive conduct by male partners at Venable, including one incident where a partner allegedly chased Rabbi down during a panic attack. Although Emhoff was not named in the lawsuit, it did mention a pattern of bad behaviour at the firm.
The suit also alleged that Emhoff hired an unqualified assistant named “Katya” due to her appearance, a move so widely known that her name became shorthand for attractive but underqualified staff members.
The Daily Mail identified the assistant as Katya Calderone, hired while Emhoff was married to Harris. The suit also referenced another partner, Alex Weingarten, who reportedly said he “deserved a young, attractive secretary like his partner Douglas Emhoff had”.
Emhoff has been the subject of several other allegations. In August, he admitted to having an affair with his family nanny during his first marriage, an affair that reportedly resulted in a pregnancy, though the nanny chose not to keep the baby. Just last week, he denied accusations that he slapped an ex-girlfriend at a gala in 2012 for flirting with a valet worker.
As of now, neither Emhoff nor the Venable law firm has responded to requests for comment. These new allegations come at a crucial time, as Emhoff’s wife, Kamala Harris, is running for president in the 2024 election.
Despite these accusations, some have publicly praised Emhoff for his role as Second Gentleman. MSNBC anchor Jen Psaki recently described him as having “reshaped the perception of masculinity”, a statement that drew criticism in light of the emerging allegations.