Reidblog [The Reid Report blog]

in the past 10 days, Harris has:

•Had locks changed and posted a security guard at the door of her campaign headquarters in Tampa and had former staff members escorted in to retrieve their belongings.

•Told a gathering of supporters in Cocoa Beach on Saturday that the Republican Party had "infiltrated" her campaign staff to put "knives in my back."

•Told a reporter that a longtime, trusted political adviser had leaked a story about her staff members quitting, then called back to retract the comments.

•Announced hiring her new staff without identifying them.

Those events come atop previous reversals and contradictions, including her announcement last month that she would spend her inheritance from her father on her campaign, which she changed, saying she would sell her assets.

Former campaign manager Jim Dornan, who left in November, called the most recent events in the campaign "unbelievable."

"It smacks of real paranoia," he said of the headquarters lockout and comments about infiltration. "That campaign staff was so loyal to her, and to be treated like that is absolutely unconscionable."

In interviews over the past few weeks, speaking in confidence, former employees from Harris' congressional and campaign staffs said the trauma of the unexpected death of her father has taken a toll.

"She's in total meltdown. The campaign is in chaos," said a longtime Republican operative who worked closely with Harris until recently. "She hasn't mourned for her father." Like many other former staff members interviewed, that GOP operative didn't want to be quoted by name.

Many now seek other political jobs and don't want to publicly criticize a candidate they have worked for.

Over the weekend, the last of Harris' top staff members left the campaign, including campaign manager Jamie Miller, general consultant Ed Rollins, spokeswoman Morgan Dobbs and field director Megan Ortagus.

Media consultant Adam Goodman, who has worked with Harris through her political career, left a few days earlier. That followed the departures of pollster Ed Goeas, fundraiser Anne Dunsmore, Dornan, treasurer Nancy Watkins, two finance staff members and others.

On March 25, in comments to an Orlando Sentinel reporter, Harris blamed Goodman for leaking a story about her staff turnover. She called the newspaper back within hours to retract the statement.

In a statement Saturday announcing the hiring of new top staff members, she said, "Our campaign has re-launched with a new staff and is moving forward quickly. ... We are stronger as a campaign today than we were yesterday."

Dornan, who left the campaign after disagreements with Harris, said, "How she can say that her campaign is better is beyond me, when she had the best people in the country."

Harris' comments Saturday in Cocoa Beach reflect the antagonism between her and the Republican Party. Some party leaders have been downright hostile to her campaign because of worries that she can't beat incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and that her reputation would stoke turnout by Democrats eager to defeat her.

According to Florida Today, she told a gathering of Republicans, "I didn't know I was going to get the knives in my back from my own party, and I'll be honest, it's infiltrated my campaign staff." ...

Meanwhile, former staffers were coming to the office to retrieve belongings. Receptionist Donna Alicoate said Miller was escorted into the office Saturday after locks were changed and a guard posted.

On Monday, campaign volunteer Art Burroughs, outside the entrance to Harris' West Shore Boulevard office, said he was doing "just a little bit of a security thing" in escorting former staffers inside for belongings.

Campaign scheduler Jennifer DeBord said the new staff members would be announced today.

Harris said in a statement Saturday she had hired a campaign manager, fundraiser, advertising consultants, pollster, field director and press secretary. But campaign spokesman Brian Brooks said Monday a pollster has not been hired.

Burroughs is the brother of Dale Burroughs, a spiritual counselor and friend of Harris who, aides say, frequently travels with Harris on the campaign trail and sometimes introduces her at campaign stops.

"Dr. Dale," as she is known among campaign staffers, describes herself as a licensed clinical pastoral counselor who counsels in behavior temperament, career, crisis and disaster, among other things.

Burroughs has been advising Harris for years, but lately has had a more prominent role as Harris stopped listening to other campaign advisers. Burroughs said she has little role in the campaign beyond helping reach out to religious voters and is merely a Bible study partner and close friend.

Friends and advisers say Harris has been deeply religious all her life, but religion recently has become a central part of her campaign. Campaign staffers warily describe Harris as leading a "Christian crusade."

"It was always part of the background, but it was never an integral part of the campaign. It never engulfed her," said former campaign manager Jim Dornan, who quit the campaign in November but keeps in touch with staffers. "She's grasping for a pillar she thinks this campaign can be raised on."

Campaign advisers understood Harris wanted to put the inheritance in the race, but now say she won't have access to that money until after her mother's death. On Tuesday, she clarified to the Times that the money would come from her current assets, including selling real estate.

"My dad didn't leave me that money. This is what I have," said Harris, who is married to a millionaire and ultimately is expected to receive a large inheritance.

She has said she does not plan to put the money in right away, and she is expected to report just a few hundred thousand dollars on hand when her campaign disclosure report comes due soon.

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Tags: Jack Abramoff, Katherine Harris, Republicans, Bush, Corruption, Religious right