Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign is dismissing accusations that she and a co-author plagiarized parts of a 2009 book on the U.S. criminal justice system as a desperate attempt by “rightwing operatives” to distract voters ahead of next month’s election.

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo surfaced allegations of plagiarism earlier this week. An expert says the claims are overblown.

Plagiarism expert Jonathan Bailey said Vice President Harris’s 2009 book showed signs of “sloppy writing habits” but pushed back on claims that the Democratic nominee engaged in “wholesale fraud.” In an article published Tuesday in “Plagiarism Today,

Pollster Nate Silver gives Harris a higher chance of securing Michigan and its 15 electoral votes. Per Silver's latest election forecast, the vice president has a 55.6 percent chance of taking the Great Lakes State, while Trump has a 44.4 percent chance.

Margins in the polls remain slim indicating no clear winner this time around. It's a competitive race, and the polls show it. Here's who's in the lead according to the latest polls. ABC News project 538 shows Harris leading in the national polls at 48.

With 20 days until Election Day, new polls show Trump leading Harris in battleground Georgia but the Democrat VP edging the Republican former president in purple North Carolina.