Fast food giant McDonald's addresses Kamala Harris's work history assertion.
According to Daily Mail Online, McDonald's has responded to Vice President Kamala Harris's claim of having worked at one of their restaurants during her college years. The corporation has informed its franchisees that they lack records to verify Harris's employment from the early 1980s.
In an internal memo, McDonald's acknowledged Harris's "fond memories" of working at a location in Alameda County but stated that neither the company nor its franchisees have complete records for all positions dating back to that time period.
The Vice President has repeatedly mentioned her experience working at McDonald's, including during a 2019 rally with fast food workers and in an April 2024 interview on "The Drew Barrymore Show."
Harris's campaign has specified that she worked at a Central Avenue McDonald's location in Alameda, California, during the summer of 1983 after her freshman year at Howard University.
However, the campaign has been unable to provide concrete evidence to support this claim, such as photographs, pay stubs, or corroborating statements from former coworkers. Attempts to verify Harris's employment through the franchise in question have been unsuccessful, with employees reportedly sworn to secrecy regarding inquiries about the Vice President.
The absence of verifiable evidence has led to scrutiny, particularly as Harris's college job resume does not mention any McDonald's employment. Her campaign has used the claim to emphasize her connection to working-class Americans and her personal experience with entry-level jobs.
Former President Donald Trump has seized on the uncertainty surrounding Harris's McDonald's employment, suggesting that she may have fabricated the claim. In a recent campaign event, Trump visited a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, where he worked behind the counter and served customers.
After his brief stint at the restaurant, Trump remarked: "I've now worked for 15 minutes more than Kamala at McDonald's." This comment underscores the political dimension of the employment verification issue, as Trump aims to cast doubt on Harris's credibility.
McDonald's has emphasized its political neutrality in response to the controversy. The company's memo stated that it does not endorse candidates for elected office and that its decision to allow Trump's recent visit was based on its core values of openness to all.
The corporation's inability to confirm Harris's employment highlights the challenges of verifying decades-old work history, especially for entry-level positions that may not have been thoroughly documented. This situation underscores the potential difficulties in substantiating claims made by public figures about their past experiences.
Despite the attention drawn to this issue, Harris's campaign has not provided any new evidence to support her claim of McDonald's employment. When questioned by a reporter about her work history at the fast food chain, Harris simply replied, "Did I? Yes, I did."
The lack of conclusive evidence on either side has left the matter unresolved, allowing for continued speculation and political maneuvering. As the 2024 election approaches, it remains to be seen whether this issue will have any lasting impact on public perception or campaign narratives.
