Ex-Dem insider exposes what Harris told top donors days before Biden dropped out: 'Insulting'
Former Democratic Fundraiser Accuses Kamala Harris of Poaching Biden Donors Prior to Withdrawal
Lindy Li, a former fundraiser who worked on the campaigns of both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, has claimed that Harris was actively courting Biden’s major donors just days before the president announced he would not seek reelection in 2024. Li, who has since switched her party affiliation and published a book detailing her inside experience, says the move was part of Harris’s strategy to prepare for a future run.
Li first gained prominence in Democratic fundraising circles when she helped raise millions for the Biden campaign and served in a high‑profile role with the Democratic National Committee. After Biden’s announcement that he would not run for a second term on July 21, 2024, Li began publicly sharing what she describes as “insider knowledge” that suggests many Democrats had sensed the president’s decline but did not act on it.
According to Li, Harris began a “charm offensive” immediately after Biden’s withdrawal, reaching out to influential donors and positioning herself as a natural successor. “The first 24 hours were a very intensive charm offensive on her part,” Li told Fox News Digital. She added that Harris “flattered people up the wazoo” to secure support for her own campaign.
Li says the key moment came on either July 19 or 20, 2024, when Harris held a call with the party’s biggest donors. “She would host calls with donors and pretend to support Biden and say there's no daylight between Biden and herself. All the while she was auditioning for those very donors,” Li recalled. She added that during this call Harris claimed that “there was no way that Biden would drop out and that she would stick with him until the end.”
The call, according to Li, was a prelude to Harris’s later actions. When Biden officially announced he would not pursue reelection on July 21, she moved quickly to consolidate her base. Li says Harris implied she had Biden’s endorsement even before the president officially endorsed her. “She was flattering people left and right. The first 24 hours were a very intensive charm offensive on her part. And that’s how she was able to consolidate it so quickly,” she said. “She flattered people up the wazoo. It made it abundantly clear that Biden had endorsed her.”
Biden’s own endorsement came later that same day, about half an hour after his withdrawal announcement. Li notes that while Biden was initially hesitant to endorse Harris, the message was eventually delivered. “It took him a while,” she said, implying that the endorsement was not immediate.
Li further claims that many donors were skeptical of Harris’s narrative. “A lot of us have group chats. The immediate reaction is what an effing waste of time. What a charade, how fake. These are like the wealthiest people in the country saying that,” she said. “They were very aware they were being lied to, that Biden was clearly not okay, and to be told that he was okay when he was clearly incapacitated. It was insulting.”
Li’s book, Unburdened, details the months leading up to Biden’s suspension of his campaign and describes how those closest to the president had foreseen a potential halt after a disastrous debate. In the book, Li portrays Harris as “auditioning for Biden’s endorsement” while simultaneously preparing for her own bid, hinting at possible ambitions for a 2028 run.
Representatives for Harris have not responded to requests for comment. The story was first reported by Fox News Digital, with Li appearing in an exclusive interview.
While Li’s assertions have sparked debate among observers, they reflect a broader conversation within the Democratic Party about leadership succession, donor influence, and the transparency of campaign strategy. As the 2024 election cycle unfolds, the claims about Harris’s outreach to Biden donors and the timing of her own endorsement remain a point of scrutiny for both supporters and critics alike.