Tina Flournoy, Vice President Kamala Harris’ chief of staff, is leaving the administration, a White House official confirmed to POLITICO on Thursday. Lorraine Voles, who was brought in as a senior adviser to Harris last summer, will step into the role.
The moves, which were first reported by The Washington Post, are set to take place later this spring.
“It is likely that this news will appear in print today — which means that I will not have the opportunity to share it with each of you myself,” Flournoy wrote In an all-staff email obtained by POLITICO. “I will be eternally grateful to the Vice President for giving me this amazing opportunity.”
Flournoy is a longtime and respected Democratic operative who worked in the White House for President Bill Clinton, Clinton’s re-election campaign and Al Gore’s run for president in 2000. She’s part of a group of Black political operatives who’ve worked together in Democratic politics for decades, including Donna Brazile, Minyon Moore, Leah Daughtry and Yolanda Caraway. Flournoy is the latest of top Harris aides to leave in recent months, including her senior adviser and spokesperson Symone Sanders, national security adviser Nancy McEldowney and communications director Ashley Etienne.
Voles, who also worked on the transition, was brought in to focus on strategic communication, restructuring Harris’ office during growing scrutiny of the vice president last summer. Originally, she was supposed to stay on only temporarily, but aides have described her as critical to the office as she’s been leaned on more and more during her time on staff.
Voles and another senior adviser, Adam Frankel, were brought in after Harris was criticized for messaging missteps that staff felt were overblown and reports of dysfunction in Harris’ office, with some of that ire pointed at Flournoy.
Defenders of Flournoy noted that Black women in power are often forced to meet standards their counterparts don’t. At the time, Daughtry told POLITICO: “Look, [Tina’s] strong, she’s intelligent, she’s driven, and she expects strong, intelligent, driven people around her. But some people may find strong, driven, smart people intimidating, but I think that’s more projection than reality because that’s just not Tina’s intent or style. And nothing in her experience would lead you to think that she’s an intimidating person.”
In her email, Flournoy said: “I’ve known Lorraine since the Clinton Administration and she’s been here in this office since August working with all of us. She and I will continue to work with each other and with all of you on the upcoming transition.”
In a statement sent by email from a White House official, Harris said of Flournoy: “Tina has been a valued advisor and confidant to me and tremendous leader for the office. From day 1, she led our team during a historic first year as we made progress rebuilding our economy here at home and our alliances around the world.”
The vice president added that she would continue to rely on Flournoy for “her advice, counsel and friendship.”
In the same emailed statement, White House chief of staff Ron Klain said in an email that Flournoy had been “a critical member of the White House team since day one, working with the President and Vice President to make their partnership effective and help the administration deliver on critical priorities.”