Vice President Kamala Harris's 2009 book Smart on Crime has come under scrutiny following fresh allegations of plagiarism, initially reported by the New York Times.

The accusations of uncredited content have escalated, with Jonathan Bailey, a consultant hired to investigate, revising his initial view to state the issue is more grave than first indicated, Breitbart reported.

Earlier this week, the New York Times released an admission that several sections of Harris's book bore similarities to content from Wikipedia and the Associated Press. This revelation sparked widespread discussions and a deeper probe into the allegations.

Initial Denial and Subsequent Investigations

The day after the initial reports, Harris's campaign pushed back against the allegations, denying any wrongdoing. This counterclaim came amidst assertions made not just by the New York Times, but also by the New Republic, both suggesting multiple plagiarized passages.

Jonathan Bailey, a consultant on plagiarism, was initially quoted as saying that the plagiarism instances weren't significant. However, after reviewing a fuller report with more examples, he revised his stance, acknowledging that the situation was more complicated than he previously believed.

Bailey's in-depth investigation led him to conclude that the plagiarism was not an intentional act of deception. Instead, he emphasized that the problems originated from poor writing standards.

Plagiarism Allegations Detailed

A potentially damning 40-page document has surfaced, outlining 29 specific accusations of content appropriation, with 18 directed at the book itself and 11 pertaining to possible self-plagiarism instances reported at a later time.

While Bailey confirmed that the instances did show unauthorized borrowing, he categorized them as "relatively minor" in nature. His evaluation seemed to downplay the severity of the acts, considering the passages individually rather than as a whole.

He notably dismissed the claims of self-plagiarism, arguing that it is reasonable to expect political figures to repeat similar phrases and content throughout their careers.

Impact and Public Reaction

Conservative journalist Christopher Rufo played a role in bringing these allegations to light, building on research conducted by Dr. Stefan Weber. This investigation into Harris's past writings has gathered attention from various media outlets and sparked public debate over the ethical standards of public figures.

Harris has yet to directly address the issue in any media interviews, despite appearing on platforms with prominent figures such as Fox News and Charlamagne tha God. This gap has left questions lingering in the public discourse.

Amidst the political fallout, Harris's campaign has issued statements suggesting that the accusations are politically motivated. James Singer, a spokesman for the Harris campaign, described the allegations as attempts from rightwing figures who are concerned about Harris's growing support base ahead of the upcoming election.

Consultant's Nuanced Depictions

In his revised assessment, Bailey noted that while there are "problems with this work," the concerns were more about inadequate writing practices rather than any intent to deceive. He further remarked that public perception might have exaggerated the severity of the situation.

Bailey's commentary illustrates the challenges involved in addressing intellectual property concerns in public writing. He stated that this matter lies ambiguously between being problematic and being labeled a complete fraud.

Ultimately, the discussion underscores a broader concern over ethical publishing standards and accuracy in literature authored by public figures, an issue that continues to shape the conversation around Harris's book.