'Voice of leadership': Harris has repeatedly praised her pastor who blamed America for 9/11
A longtime San Francisco pastor and mentor to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, slammed the United States during a memorial service for victims of Sept. 11, days after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Rev. Amos Brown, a longtime pastor at Third Baptist Church and current president of the San Francisco NAACP, is in the spotlight after he revealed during a recent interview that Harris called him shortly after President Biden announced that he was dropping his re-election bid. Harris wanted Brown to pray for her and her husband during the biggest campaign of her career.
Brown, who said he has known Harris and her family for more than two decades and was one of Harris' guests to attend her inauguration in 2021, could be a major liability for her campaign as his past sermons and anti-America rhetoric start to surface. Harris previously praised Brown for being "on this journey with me every step of the way."
"America, America, what did you do – either intentionally or unintentionally – in the world order, in Central America, in Africa where bombs are still blasting?" Brown said days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
"America, what did you do in the global warming conference when you did not embrace the smaller nations?" he continued. "America, what did you do two weeks ago when I stood at the world conference on racism, when you wouldn't show up?"
Brown's comments immediately drew a rebuke from Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the only Democrat on stage, who chided Brown for his comments.
"The act of terrorism on Sept. 11 put those people outside the order of civilized behavior, and we will not take responsibility for that," Pelosi said.
Paul Holm, who was at the memorial service to represent the family of his deceased former partner, Mark Bingham, walked out and at the time said, "I thought this was a day of remembrance and not a political event."
"These were innocent people, a number of whom gave their lives for the country and to save other innocent people," he continued, referring to Bingham, who was credited with helping take down United Airlines Flight 93 into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The San Francisco Chronicle at the time reported that Brown's comments "set a lot of people’s teeth on edge" and that politicians were "stunned."
Brown's past rhetoric is likely to face increased scrutiny as political operatives and media outlets start combing through his past comments, likely mirroring the 2008 campaign when now-former President Obama's controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright's sermons were unearthed. Obama, who repeatedly praised Wright, faced backlash for his association with him, especially his "Not God bless America, God damn America" sermon.
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Harris has repeatedly praised Brown and has given him multiple shout-outs during speeches as the vice president.
"I just want to, if you don’t mind for a moment, take a moment of personal privilege to talk about Dr. Brown. He has been on this journey with me every step of the way, from when I first thought about running for public office almost two decades ago," Harris said in 2022 during the NAACP National Convention. "And he has been such a voice of leadership, more leadership, and leadership in our nation. And so I want to thank you, Dr. Brown, for all that you are – all that you are."
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During the annual session of the National Baptist Convention, USA in 2022, Harris reflected on her longtime friendship with Brown.
"For two decades now, at least, I have turned to you," Harris said. "I have turned to him. And I will say that your wisdom has really guided me and grounded me during some of the most difficult times. And – and you have been a source of inspiration to me always. So thank you, Rev. Brown, for being all that you are."
"It is always an honor to spend time with my pastor, Rev. Dr. Amos Brown of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco," Harris said in a 2023 Instagram photo caption of her and Brown embracing. "He remains a source of inspiration to me always."
"I want to – shout-out to my pastor, Amos Brown, for joining us. And – and with that, let’s begin our conversation," Harris said in 2021 during a virtual roundtable session with faith leaders.
In 2013, she posted a photo of her, her sister, Maya, and and Brown by the Lincoln Memorial for the anniversary of the March on Washington. In 2008, she posted another picture with Brown.
When Biden chose Harris as his VP pick in 2020, Brown said he was "excited, encouraged, and ecstatic" and that he was "humbled" she was a member of his church.
Brown's comments, which made several local headlines in 2001, were not isolated as he has repeatedly called the United States a "racist country," including during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle a few years ago.
Brown introduced Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III in 2022 as a "son of Third Baptist" during a pro-reparations event at his church and said he was the "right man to come and to inspire us, inform us, and make sure that we have the map to implement in all that we might make reparations a reality not in the sweet by-and-by, but right down here in the here and now."
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"America, you owe us. What you done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil. It’s been unjust. It’s been downright wrong and the only way to bring salvation to America – you gotta pay us what you owe us," Haynes said during the event about the government paying reparations.
Brown and the Harris campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News' Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.