Harris’ glowing endorsement of scandal-plagued former prosecutor resurfaces after entire defense team quits

A clip showing Vice President Kamala Harris showering praise on former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby in 2018 has gone viral as Mosby faces serious prison time for fraud and perjury charges.

Mosby’s entire defense team quit last month, further delaying her federal trial in which she is accused of falsely claiming COVID-19-related financial hardship to withdraw $90,000 from her retirement accounts, then using those funds to place down payments on two vacation properties in Florida. She’s also accused of lying on mortgage applications by failing to disclose unpaid federal taxes. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A June 2018 video showing Harris speaking at a campaign rally for Mosby on the day of the Democratic primary election for Baltimore state’s attorney has resurfaced as the former high-profile prosecutor faces up to five years in prison for perjury and up to 30 years for fraud, if convicted.

“We better understand that we got to march and shout about what we need to do to reform the criminal justice system,” Harris, who was a California senator at the time, said in the video, which was posted on Mosby’s Instagram and Twitter.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event at the White House marking Black History Month, Feb. 27, 2023. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE STATE’S ATTORNEY MARILYN MOSBY INDICTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES

“We better understand that we got to march and shout with our paychecks and all of the work that we can do to actually make sure that somebody like Marilyn Mosby gets re-elected into that office – to not only get convictions but have convictions,” Harris continued. “There are a lot of people who are highly critical of her because she heard the voices of the people and said, ‘Even if I can’t win, I’m going to do the right thing.’”

“It’s going to be rough, is going to be tough,” she said. “She cannot fail, and I know she will not fail. When we march, and we shout about what we need to do to reform the criminal justice system.”

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., added in the video that she was “overwhelmed” by Mosby’s “courage.”

Mosby wrote in the Instagram post that she was “confident that the citizens of Baltimore will stand with me as we work to make our City safer and fairer.”

“I have so many people to thank and I am humbled by the support I have received from every corner of Baltimore and from all over the country, including from two of my mentors and inspirations, @kamalaharris and our ‘auntie’ @repmaxinewaters,” Mosby wrote at the time.

Marilyn Mosby, pictured last year, is facing two counts each of perjury and mortgage fraud. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during a reception celebrating Black History Month at the White House on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

BALTIMORE PROSECUTOR MARILYN MOSBY FACES STAFFING CRISIS AMID CRIMINAL CHARGES

Mosby won the primary and ran unopposed in the November 2018 election. She lost her re-election bid last year in the Democratic primary after she was charged in federal court. 

Mosby served two high-profile terms in the role, which included attempting to prosecute multiple officers in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a Black man who died in police custody. 

As state’s attorney, Mosby also controversially directed her office to stop prosecuting quality-of-life crimes such as drug possession and prostitution at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that it was necessary to reduce the chance of outbreaks in jails and prisons. 

Her trial was delayed again to Nov. 2 after her entire defense team quit last month. Jury selection in the case is slated to begin Oct. 31.

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The vice president’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News’ Paul Best contributed to this report.