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'We just tell the truth': VP Harris' longtime mentor repeatedly defended controversial Obama pastor
Vice President Kamala Harris’ pastor and longtime mentor repeatedly defended former President Obama’s controversial pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, when his past sermons sparked a firestorm of controversy during the 2008 presidential campaign, a Fox News Digital review found.
Rev. Amos Brown, the longtime minister of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church, and Wright were reportedly “friends” and attended the same graduate ministry school together in Dayton, Ohio, according to a March 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article profiling Brown’s sermon. The article went on to say Brown even has a photo of Wright in his church office.
“On Sunday, he told a packed church that the criticisms being hurled at Obama for his close ties to Wright are part of a conspiracy aimed at damaging the candidate on the issue of religion because there’s not another negative issue out there that has tarnished his reputation,” the article said.
“What you are seeing happening to Barack Obama was hatched, crafted and developed a year ago when you were sleeping,” Brown reportedly said during the sermon. “This kind of nonsense does not just happen.”
‘VOICE OF LEADERSHIP’: HARRIS HAS REPEATEDLY PRAISED HER PASTOR WHO BLAMED AMERICA FOR 9/11
Vice President Kamala Harris’ pastor, Amos Brown, right, has deep ties to former President Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright.
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 ties to Wright start to surface. Harris previously praised Brown for being “on this journey with me every step of the way.”
In an April 2008 op-ed for SFGate, Brown defended Wright and claimed that the soundbites from Wright’s previous sermons were being “mischaracterize[d]” by the media. He responded to the San Francisco Chronicle piece by saying the reporter characterized his and Wright’s style of preaching as similar, but Brown rejected the description of their tone as “fiery.”
“As regards to Wright’s and my style of preaching; we are not angry; we are not inflammatory; we just tell the truth with passion and enthusiasm,” Brown said. “And we will not be silent when persons mischaracterize our witness as anger.”
“If White preachers – Billy Graham, Pat Robinson, Jerry Falwell and others – can exercise their freedoms, and sometimes say the wrong things – as the facts document – we should be able to say the right things on the behalf of social justice and peace, and not be demonized by detractors,” he added.
Wright previously blamed Jews in 2009 for keeping him from talking with Obama after he won the White House. He has also made a number of other inflammatory remarks, including when he said after 9/11 that “America’s chickens are coming home to roost.”
Obama would go on to distance himself from Wright during the 2008 campaign, saying he was “outraged” and “saddened” by Wright’s words and resigned his membership at the church in May 2008.
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Former President Obama, left, and Rev. Jeremiah Wright. (AP)
The following year, months after Obama was sworn in as president, Wright was invited by Brown to speak at his church, where Brown has been the pastor since 1976. Wright was reportedly “one of several featured speakers as part of a celebration of the church’s 33rd anniversary under Brown’s leadership” and gave a “half-hour, high-energy sermon, sprinkled with spontaneous songs, jokes and impersonations.”
Brown, who previously broadcast an entire Wright sermon before his congregation during the presidential campaign in an attempt to prove Wright was being taken out of context, defended Wright’s participation in his church’s anniversary event honoring him, saying, “That is part of the spiritual DNA of this church, to lend clarity and context to important public policy issues.”
In addition to the 2009 visit, Wright visited Brown’s church at least two other times, in 2010 and 2012.
In September 2010, Wright visited multiple churches between Oakland and San Francisco, including Brown’s Third Baptist Church.
In December 2012, Brown posted on his Facebook that “in the wake of last week’s atrocious tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut,” his church would be doing a service focused on peace and ending violence in America.
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“The entire Bay area community is invited to join in this worship experience which will feature President Obama’s former pastor, Dr. Jeremiah Wright, D.Min, Pastor Emeritus of Trinity United Methodist Church, Chicago, Illinois, as the guest preacher,” the Facebook post said. “Other special guests include legendary actor and activist Danny Glover.”
Harris has repeatedly praised Brown, who previously sparked his own controversy by blaming America for 9/11 days after the terrorist attacks during a memorial service, and has given him multiple shoutouts 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.”
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at Westover High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on July 18, 2024. (ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
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.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign and Brown for comment.
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PHOENIX — Happy Wednesday!
We’re staying on top of the latest happenings from across the Valley, state, and our nation for Wednesday, July 15; here’s what you need to know as you start your day:
The monsoon is not done with us yet. A few scattered storms could pop up in the Valley later today. Until then, partly cloudy, hot, and humid with a high of 108º. Better storm chances arrive tomorrow.
The mother of a 21-year-old woman who was found dead near Lake Pleasant over the weekend is speaking about her daughter’s death to ABC15.
Arianna Jones, 21, was last known to be at her apartment near 59th and Northern avenues. When her family went to check on her, they said they found damage to her front door, and she was not there. Her family has had no contact with her since July 5.
A friend told police that she had planned to meet “an acquaintance” for a movie. Evidence shows the man, identified by police as Domonic Rodolico, had picked Jones up from her apartment and never returned.
On Saturday, July 11, officials located “decomposing human remains in this area along with additional evidence,” including movie theater cups and clothes.
Glendale police confirmed Monday that Rodolico was taken into custody on charges including first-degree murder. Police say he is being held on a $2 million cash bond.
Mother of Glendale woman found dead near Lake Pleasant speaks to ABC15
One person is dead, and four others are hurt after a multi-vehicle crash in Scottsdale.
Police say they were called to the crash at Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard around 4:45 p.m.
When officers arrived, they found six vehicles involved in the crash.
All told, Scottsdale police say five people were taken to the hospital for their injuries.
One person later died of their injuries. That person has not yet been identified.
abc15
Arizona’s 1st Congressional District has become one of the most watched races in the country, with political experts calling it a toss-up ahead of the primary election.
CD1 is among a small number of truly competitive House races, said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.
“We only have 16 tossups in the House in our Crystal Ball House ratings. Two of them are Arizona One and Arizona Six, so they’re really, really important,” Kondik said.
CD1 is home to about 820,000 people. The district includes northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Cave Creek. Because the race is so competitive, campaigns are spending heavily to reach voters.
“There are a lot of people who live in the Phoenix area who don’t live in Arizona One. But they’re going to be seeing those ads for Arizona One anyway,” Kondik said.
Arizona’s 1st Congressional District race is one of the most competitive in the country
In a world where headlines often focus on what teenagers are doing wrong, one Valley band is giving people a reason to turn up the volume.
Anthem-based rock band The Deadline, made up of local teenagers, recently returned from a remarkable trip to Poland, where they performed for U.S. and NATO troops stationed near the Ukraine border.
The opportunity came after the young musicians caught the attention of Polish officials and continued building a reputation through Alice Cooper’s Proof Is in the Pudding competition.
What followed was a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to use their music to boost morale for troops serving far from home.
Arizona teens bring musical talent to audience of troops near Ukraine
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A now 33-year-old Northern California man, who was on the run in Mexico for five nearly five years, has been sentenced for the murder of his estranged wife’s boyfriend while the couple was sleeping in her apartment in 2017.
Arturo Hernandez was 25 when he learned that a man named Anthony Freas was in a relationship with his estranged wife. His calls to her after hearing about the situation went unanswered, according to investigators.
On Nov. 19, livid over the relationship, Hernandez went to the Regency Apartments in the 5900 block of Riza Avenue, where his wife lived. He broke into the apartment where the couple was sleeping, entered her bedroom and stabbed Freas multiple times before fleeing the scene, according to a news release from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Officers with the Sacramento Police Department responded to the apartment and found Freas suffering from at least one stab wound to the upper body. They began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and rushed him to a hospital, where he later died.
Authorities launched a manhunt for Hernandez, who was considered armed and dangerous, The Sacramento Bee reported.
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Arturo Hernandez, 33, was sentenced for killing Anthony Freas while he was sleeping at his estranged wife’s Sacramento apartment on Nov. 19, 2026.(Justice4Anthony/Facebook) -
Arturo Hernandez broke into his estranged wife’s home at the Regency Apartments and killed her boyfriend while the couple was sleeping on Nov. 19, 2017. (Google)
It was later learned that he fled to Mexico, though it is unclear where he had been hiding or with whom.
Hernandez evaded law enforcement until July 2023, when he was arrested by Mexican authorities and FBI agents. He was later extradited back to Sacramento to stand trial.
On March 24, a jury found Hernandez guilty of second-degree murder and found true the allegation that he personally used a weapon during the attack.
More than three months later, on July 10, Judge Alyson Lewis sentenced him to 16 years to life in state prison.
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