Major Update In Ashley Biden Diary Saga
A Florida woman has faced the music for her role in the saga involving personal belongings of the Biden family. Aimee Harris, who admitted to stealing a diary belonging to President Joe Biden’s daughter and selling it to the conservative group Project Veritas, was sentenced to a month in prison on Tuesday.
Ashley Biden’s diary came to public attention in October 2020, when it was reported that some of its contents were being leaked. The diary allegedly contained personal reflections and experiences. The circumstances around how the diary’s contents became public have been controversial and involved questions about privacy and legality. In August 2022, Harris entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy, acknowledging her role in the sale of personal items belonging to Ashley Biden to Project Veritas. The conservative activist group is known for conducting undercover sting operations and publishing hidden-camera videos aimed at exposing bias and misconduct in the media and other institutions.
This week Harris admitted to receiving $20,000 from the $40,000 paid by the conservative group for the items. The sentencing, which took place in a Manhattan federal courtroom, also included three months of home confinement, Fox News reported.
“I do not believe I am above the law,” Harris, 41, told a judge, following a request from a prosecutor for a prison sentence due to her failure to appear at several sentencing dates. Harris cited her responsibilities caring for her two children, ages 8 and 6, as the reason for her absences. She added, “I’m a survivor of long-term domestic abuse and sexual trauma.”
Harris admitted to taking Ashley’s possessions in 2020. She had then moved into a Delray Beach, Florida, residence previously occupied by the president’s daughter, who had briefly left some personal items there.
On Tuesday, an emotional Harris was remorseful for her role in taking Ashley’s private writings. Harris admitted to taking the diary from a residence in Delray Beach, Florida. Harris also took a digital storage card, books, attire, suitcases, and “everything she could get her hands on,” aiming to “make as much money as possible,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman.
“She wanted to damage Ms. Biden’s father,” Sobelman added.
Judge Laura Taylor Swain described Harris’ conduct as “despicable and serious,”
Anthony Cecutti, the defense attorney, argued against incarceration for Harris. He referenced her challenging past, including trauma, and her attempts to provide for her children amidst recovering from abuse and violence. Cecutti contended that the trial itself served as adequate punishment for Harris, noting her ongoing struggles to find full-time work.
“She carries the shame and stigma of her actions,” he stated. Harris is anticipated to begin her sentence at a federal prison in Florida back in July.
In August 2022, Harris “accepted responsibility for what happened and she’s looking forward to moving on with her life,” her attorney, Sanford Talkin, conveyed to CNN.
