Vice President Kamala Harris is bringing longtime Democratic communications aide Jamal Simmons into her press shop to replace one of seven staffer's she's lost over the past six months.
Simmons will join the team after communications director Ashley Etienne and chief spokesperson took their leave in November and December.
An official announcement was expected from the White House later on Thursday, sources told The Hill.
Simmons is said to be widely respected in Democratic circles, and his entrance will come as the vice president's office is looking for a reset amid low poll numbers and headlines reporting dysfunction and bitter tension within the office.
Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign.
A source familiar with the move told The Hill Simmons is expected to 'really change things up.'
Simmons also worked as an aide to former Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark and was chief of staff former Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.
He's also worked in media and frequents the cable news circuit.
Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign
Harris has now lost at least seven aides since her disastrous southern border trip on June 25 after her director of press operations Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving his role with the White House.
Velz's announcement comes in the midst of a staff exodus following reports the vice president is a 'bully' who facilitates a toxic work environment and other reports indicate tensions between the president's staff and Harris'.
'Today is my last day at the White House, and it truly has been an honor,' Velz tweeted on Wednesday. 'I will be forever grateful to Vice President Harris, the incredible Team @VP, and I'm so proud of our work this past year supporting this historic Administration.'
'The White House is an amazing place to work -- you're surrounded by the most selfless, smart, hard-working people everyday doing their best to serve the American people. And it has has been an absolute joy,' he added.
Velz's next job will start later this month at the State Department's Protocol team where Velz says he will still support President Joe Biden and Harris in their meetings with foreign leaders, delegations and international travel.
His announcement comes the day after fellow staffer Vince Evans confirmed his departure from the vice president's office to replace Kyle Anderson as executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus.
Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' team – making him the seventh staffer to depart since June
Evans and Velz's departures exhibit the reports of a staff exodus coming to fruition amid reports of turmoil in the vice president's office.
At the end of December, Harris' chief spokesperson Symone Sanders left her post.
It followed the departure of Ashley Etienne, Harris' former communications director, who left in November.
In the aftermath of Harris' botched Central America and border trip, reports emerged that two other aides were eyeing the exits. Harris' former director of advance Karly Satkowiak and deputy director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi departed shortly after the trip in June.
Staffers on the VP's advance team are responsible for planning all of her trips, surveying venues for her to visit and working with local officials to prepare venues for media coverage.
Velz (left) made his announcement the day after Vince Eans (right) confirmed his departure from Harris' team
Velz confirmed his departure in a Wednesday tweet after reports emerged toward the end of 2021 that he was eyeing the exits in the midst of a staff exodus from the vice president's office
Velz will work with the State Department on the protocol team starting later in January
He posted a throw back image of hi at the press briefing room podium from 2021 and a more current image in the same pose
At the time of Satkowiak's and DeFranceschi's departure from Harris' team it was not clear why they were leaving – but it did fuel further rumors of workplace tensions.
Rajan Kaur who was Harris' director of digital strategies left her staff in July after opting not to relocate to Washington D.C. from Brooklyn.
Harris' job approval rating is at 32 per cent, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday. While that is a terrible rating, it is a 4 per cent increase from the November poll where her approval was at only 28 per cent.
Evans, in moving on from the vice president's office, will work closely with CBC Chairwoman Representative Joyce Beatty from Ohio.
'I started my career in Washington working for a member of the CBC, so I know firsthand the tremendous leadership and impact this caucus has in Congress and across the country,' Evans said in a statement. 'As we write the next chapter of the CBC story, I am excited for the opportunity to lend my experience and passion for supporting the collective vision of this storied caucus.'
Evans (right) said he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' (left) office to become executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus
Velz tweeted his congratulations to Evans on Tuesday
Velz wrote in a tweet Tuesday of Evans' new position: 'Congrats to the absolute KING and MVP of Team VP! Adore this man — one of the best colleagues and friends you can ask for.'
'I'm so happy to see you continue fighting the good fight and go do great things with the Congressional Black Caucus. Love you, [Vince Evans]!' he added along with a picture of them together.
Reports revealed that Velz, currently director of press operations for Harris, has also told those in the vice president's office that he plans to leave.
As Evans joins the CBC, there are already seven members of the 56-member caucus who have said they will not run for reelection in this year's midterms. This includes veteran members and Democratic Representatives Brenda Lawrence from Michigan and Bobby Rush from Illinois, the only lawmaker to ever beat Barack Obama in a political election.
Other CBC members seeking other offices include Representatives Karen Bass from California, Anthony Brown from Maryland and Val Demings from Florida – all Democrats.
As of Wednesday morning, 25 House Democrats announced they will not seek reelection this year as the party tries to hold onto their razor thin majorities in both chambers.
Evans, in his new role with CBC, will function as a chief of staff for one of Congress' most influential caucuses. His duties will include overseeing daily activities and working with members and their top aides to coordinate and implement priorities and legislative agenda.
A Florida native, Evans began his political career as an aide to a Tallahassee city commissioner, was a staffer in the Florida state Senate and served on the senior staff of Florida Representative Al Lawson.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Evans was Southern political director for Joe Biden and was political director for Harris when she became the vice presidential nominee.
Symone Sanders (left), Harris' senior adviser and chief spokesperson, left the White House at the end of 2021. It came after Ashley Etienne (right), Harris' former communications director, left in November
Officials maintain that Sanders and Etienne's departures were long-planned and not evidence of the reported turmoil.
Further, reports note that Sanders is getting married next year and was never able to go on a proper tour to sell her book, No, You Shut Up, which was published in May 2020.
Sanders, 32, defended her former boss in an interview published Monday in her hometown newspaper Omaha World-Herald, claiming it was the 'honor of her life' to serve Vice President Harris.
'She is someone who I watch every single day bring her full self to work,' Sanders said. 'I watch her challenge her teams, I watch her push us all to be better.
She added: 'I watch her raise issues and perspectives and topics and policy that other people — other folks just weren't thinking about.'
Sanders called the reports and rumors of dysfunction in Harris' office just 'salacious gossip.'
When announcing her departure last year, many took Sanders' exit as further evidence that Harris's office was in disarray, amid headlines of a toxic work environment and an exodus of key personnel.
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