Aimee Harris, a mother from Florida, was sentenced to one month in prison and three months of home confinement for stealing and selling President Joe Biden’s daughter’s diary to the conservative group Project Veritas. Harris admitted to receiving $20,000 of the $40,000 paid by Project Veritas for personal items belonging to Ashley Biden. Project Veritas, known for conducting hidden camera stings, identifies itself as a news organization. Harris found the diary and other items at a friend’s home in 2020, where Ashley Biden believed her items were safely stored after temporarily staying there.
Harris apologized for her actions, stating that she found the diary at a friend’s home and sold it without considering the consequences. Despite pleading guilty to the conspiracy charge in August 2022, Harris failed to appear at numerous sentencing dates, citing her responsibilities as a mother to two young children. She also revealed that she is a survivor of long-term domestic abuse and sexual trauma. The judge noted that Harris and a co-defendant previously attempted to sell Ashley Biden’s belongings to then-President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, indicating a motive of greed and a desire to impact the political landscape.
With a lawyer for Ashley Biden present in the courtroom, Harris expressed regret for making the president’s daughter’s private writings public. Swain, the judge, highlighted Harris and her co-defendant’s unsuccessful attempt to sell Ashley Biden’s belongings to the Trump campaign. Defense attorney Anthony Cecutti argued against a prison sentence, emphasizing Harris’s traumatic past and efforts to care for her children in the aftermath of abuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman pushed for a prison sentence, citing Harris’s pattern of disrespect for the law and the justice system.
Harris was urged to report to prison in July and declined to speak to reporters as she left the courthouse. Her lawyer also refrained from commenting, although he had submitted a letter on behalf of Ashley Biden to the judge the day before the sentencing. The case shed light on the consequences of privacy invasion and the impact of selling personal items for financial gain. Harris’s actions not only violated the law but also caused emotional distress to Ashley Biden, who became a victim in the case. The sentencing serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting individuals’ privacy and the consequences of exploiting personal information for personal gain.
