Gov. Maura Healey says election between 'con man' Trump and 'dedicated prosecutor' Harris

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey hammered former President Donald Trump on his criminal convictions on the final night of the Democratic National Convention Thursday, drawing a stark division between the Republican nominee and vice president and former California district attorney Kamala Harris .

Like Harris, Healey spent her early career as a prosecutor, including as district attorney of Massachusetts. Drawing from this shared experience, Healey presented Harris as a tough former prosecutor devoted to upholding justice, qualities she said prepared her for the Oval Office.

The governor’s speaking slot, on the heels of well-known figures like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rev. Al Sharpton and the “Exonerated 5” — once known as the Central Park Five — is significant. Healey was the first Democratic governor to encourage President Joe Biden to step aside, and as a surrogate for the Harris-Walz ticket, was also among the first to throw her endorsement behind the vice president.

DNC Day 4: Live coverage of speaker schedule, Kamala Harris to take the stage

The Democratic convention is in Chicago through Thursday evening, when Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to formally accept the party’s presidential nomination for the 2024 election.

What to know about Maura Healey

• Who is she? Healey is the governor of Massachusetts. She was elected in 2022, becoming the first woman and first openly LGBTQ person to become governor of the Commonwealth.
• What role does she play? Healey was the first Democratic governor to call on Biden to step aside following his disastrous debate performance against Trump and was one of the first governors to endorse Harris after President Joe Biden exited the race.
• Key quote: “We face a stark choice in this election: a felon, con man, or a dedicated prosecutor. The contrast between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is clear. He obstructs justice, she upholds it. He swindles people, she serves them. He thinks he’s above the law. She actually understands the law.”

Watch Maura Healey’s full speech here:

When and where is the DNC?

The Democratic National Convention is happening from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton nominated for a second time.

How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC

The convention will air live on its website from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC announced nightly themes for the convention. The title of the convention is “For the People, For Our Future.”

Here are the themes for each night:

• Monday: “For the People”
• Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”
• Wednesday: “A Fight for our Freedoms”
• Thursday: “For our Future”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gov. Maura Healey says election between 'con man' Trump and 'dedicated prosecutor' Harris