Ayanna Pressley’s Convicted Husband Accused of Assaulting Reporter

A reporter just wanted to ask some questions, but Ayanna Pressley's criminal husband got physically in the way and it escalated a bit more than expected.

Conan Harris, the husband of U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, has a criminal record primarily defined by a felony conviction for drug trafficking. He served 10 years in prison for this offense before his release. Following his incarceration, Harris transitioned into public service and advocacy, serving as a senior public safety adviser for the City of Boston and as the executive director of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative.

In addition to his past felony, Harris has been involved in more recent legal and public incidents. In 2019, he was charged with driving on a suspended license after being stopped by state police while driving his family to the airport. These charges were ultimately dismissed under a policy by the local District Attorney to stop the enforcement of certain low-level offenses. Harris stated he was unaware of the suspension, which resulted from an unpaid traffic citation.

More recently, on January 5, 2026, Harris was reportedly involved in an altercation at a city hall building. During the incident, he allegedly slapped a phone out of a reporter's hand as they attempted to ask Representative Pressley a question regarding an investigation into childcare fraud. Harris has frequently used his history as a formerly incarcerated individual to advocate for prison re-entry reform, even testifying before a House subcommittee in 2020 on the barriers faced by those returning to society.