(Fox News) Prominent Democrats have increasingly been vocalizing their support or voting for decriminalizing prostitution, with some claiming “sex work” is a legitimate career path for women.
The prostitution issue was once more closely aligned with members of the radical-left “Squad,” but has now gained increasing support in the mainstream Democratic Party, on Capitol Hill and in cities across the country. Even long-time Democrats such as Rep. Jerry Nadler, have come out in 2024 supporting decriminalizing it, while others – such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul – have said they are actively studying their position on “sex work.”
Most prominently, Vice President Kamala Harris came out in 2020 in support of decrim, the catch-all term used by activists to describe support for sex work, and proceeded to brag about how she refused to prosecute cases when she was a district attorney of San Francisco.
“Back when I was DA… over 15 years ago… I was advocating then that we have to stop arresting these prostitutes,” she said in an interview from 2020. “On the issue of providing a safe place for sex workers, I am a huge advocate for that. Always have.”
Democrats such as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, VP Kamala Harris and Rep. Jerry Nadler have come out in support of decriminalizing prostitution. (Fox News Digital-Hannah Grossman | Getty)
She was then asked whether she supported sex work being decriminalized. She answered, “I think so, I do… When you’re talking about consenting adults, I think that, yes, we should really consider that we can’t criminalize consensual behavior.”
Fox News Digital reviewed questionnaires Democratic candidates filled out for Jim Owles’ Liberal Democratic Club in New York City, where dozens of politicians outlined their support for sex work.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said he supported using his prosecutorial discretion to refuse cases of prostitution – including for buyers. Before he was elected, Bragg indicated he believed decrim to be a race issue.
“I will absolutely not prosecute any persons accused of selling sex, and support the repeal of any laws on this topic,” he said in 2021. “As for those who buy sex, I have no interest in prosecuting anybody engaged in consensual sex.”
But, in certain scenarios, for example, if a White person is buying sex, he might consider it a “different interaction.”
“I am concerned that a relatively well-off white person buying sex from a relatively poor person of color acting out of desperation is a substantially different interaction than that same person engaging in a commercial transaction like buying groceries,” he said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg promised he wouldn’t prosecute any sex workers. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Numerous House Democrats partnered with a left-wing advocacy group which has a particular focus on supporting decriminalizing prostitution, it was reported in April.
“It’s dangerous, and exposes how [these lawmakers] are complete frauds that should never be reelected,” the Republican Congressional Committee said.
Centrist Democratic support of the issue followed years of calls to decriminalize from Squad members such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
AOC has come out vocally against two laws aimed at combating sex trafficking during the Trump administration that hold online platforms accountable for facilitating crimes.
“I believe that [the anti-trafficking laws] put lives at risk,” AOC said in 2022.
And in 2020, she said, “Sex work is work.”
It was later reported that portions of AOC’s Queens district are riddled with prostitutes, to the chagrin of some locals.
“We’ve become sort of this epicenter of crime and prostitution and illegal street vending. It’s taken over many streets,” a resident, Ramses Frías, told “Fox & Friends” in March.
