During a recent CSPAN call-in segment, a viewer passionately criticized the network for its perceived bias in favor of Democrats, particularly for focusing heavily on negative news about former President Donald Trump while overlooking serious allegations against Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff. The caller’s frustration centered on Emhoff’s alleged involvement in a violent incident over a decade ago, as well as his admission of an affair that resulted in a pregnancy.
Emhoff, who holds the ceremonial title of “Second Gentleman” as the husband of Vice President Harris, has been accused of assaulting a former girlfriend during the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. According to an explosive report by the Daily Mail, the alleged victim—referred to only as “Jane”—claims that Emhoff struck her in the face during an argument as they waited in a valet line late at night after a film festival event. The blow allegedly caused her to spin around from the force of the impact.
Several of the woman’s friends corroborated her account, telling the Daily Mail that Jane recounted the incident to them. One of these friends claimed Jane brought up the alleged assault in 2018, specifically when then-Senator Kamala Harris questioned Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings, where he was facing accusations of sexual misconduct. The friend said the Kavanaugh hearings triggered memories for Jane of her own experience with Emhoff, prompting her to tell her friends about the 2012 incident.
Adding fuel to the controversy is Emhoff’s own admission that he had an affair during his first marriage with a nanny, which resulted in a pregnancy. The affair reportedly occurred around the same time as the alleged assault, further complicating Emhoff’s past.
The caller, clearly exasperated by what he viewed as one-sided coverage, took CSPAN to task during the live segment. He accused the network of dedicating far too much airtime to criticizing Trump while ignoring bombshell stories about high-profile Democrats like Emhoff.
“First of all, you guys have this topic every morning,” the caller said. “The first thing you guys talk about was usually supposed to be the top story, but today was all about Trump. That’s all we hear about—Trump and how bad Trump is. What I wanted to ask is, are you going to talk about what they’re calling the first gentleman, Doug Emhoff? What they’re exposing him for—he got a nanny pregnant or something like that.”
The CSPAN host acknowledged the caller’s question and referenced a story from the Washington Times that had reported on the Daily Mail’s original coverage of the allegations against Emhoff. However, the host did not elaborate much further, only confirming that the story had been covered in some media outlets, such as the Washington Times and Daily Mail. “I think you might be referring to the Daily Mail story, and it’s gotten coverage as well,” the host responded. “This from Page 2 of the Washington Times. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, allegedly assaulted his then-girlfriend during a trip to France over a decade ago, according to, as the Washington Times describes it, a bombshell report in the Daily Mail.”
The host further explained that the alleged incident had not been entirely ignored by the media but was perhaps receiving less attention than other stories at the time. He also clarified that the Daily Mail report included travel documents provided by Jane, which corroborated her claim that she and Emhoff were together in France during the period when the assault allegedly occurred.
Despite this acknowledgment, the caller’s frustration highlights a growing sentiment among some viewers who feel that certain media outlets are protecting high-ranking Democrats from scrutiny. For critics like the caller, the absence of in-depth reporting on the allegations against Emhoff is emblematic of a broader issue within mainstream media—one that shields Democratic figures from negative coverage while disproportionately focusing on Trump and other Republicans.
CSPAN CALLER: All you guys ever talk about is Trump. Are you going to talk about how Kamala's husband "Doug" Emhoff was accused of violently, publicly smacking his former girlfriend during a trip to France? pic.twitter.com/vbyJOQ8jnk
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 4, 2024
This isn’t the first time media coverage has been criticized for favoritism. Both conservatives and moderates have long pointed to examples of what they see as imbalanced reporting when it comes to political scandals. In the case of Doug Emhoff, they argue that the allegations of violence and infidelity should be given more attention, especially given his prominent role as the Vice President’s spouse.
The Daily Mail’s report remains the most detailed account of the alleged assault, but so far, the story has not gained widespread traction in the mainstream U.S. media. Critics like the CSPAN caller argue that had similar allegations been made against a Republican figure, they would likely dominate the news cycle. Instead, they believe stories like this are brushed under the rug to protect influential Democratic figures from scandal ahead of the 2024 election.
As the call ended, the CSPAN host assured viewers that the story had not been entirely ignored but did not commit to offering further discussion on the subject. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether the allegations against Doug Emhoff will receive the level of scrutiny that critics believe they deserve, or if the story will fade from public attention amidst the constant barrage of election-related news.