DV Journal

On the one-year anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, a bipartisan group  gathered in Bala Cynwyd to talk about the rise of antisemitism in the U.S., the threat to the nation of Israel and — in their opinion — the need to return Donald Trump to the White House.

“President Trump was the most pro-Israel president in history and the most consequential president for [U.S.-Israel relations],” said Jeff Bartos, a former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

He was joined by Steve Rosenberg, a registered Democrat who is supporting Trump, and Center City restauranteur Yehuda Sichel, an independent.

Steve Rosenberg, Jeff Bartos and Yehuda Sichel

Sichel said that after the Hamas attack, he naively held a fundraiser to help the victims recover, only to find his restaurant on a list of businesses to boycott drafted by a pro-Palestinian organization.

The $3,000 he raised went to rebuild a playground in one of the border towns overrun by Hamas terrorists. It also drew demonstrators to his restaurant. “The chants and protests in front of Jewish restaurants started to happen, and the governor spoke out about it.”

However, some of the chefs he asked to help turned their backs on him.

“It made me feel unwelcome, very uncomfortable,” he said. In other times when there were tragedies, the chefs would raise money together, he said.

Rosenberg offered a blunt political assessment.

“As a Jew, if you do not support Donald Trump for president, you’re making a mistake with your future, with your lives,” he said. “You may have other issues — the climate, or abortion, or gun rights — I don’t care what your issue is. If you’re dead in four years, none of those issues are going to matter.”

Bartos used the event to recount Trump’s record in the Middle East.

“President Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and in 2019 he signed an order extending the protections of Title XI to antisemitism on college campuses. Any of the lawsuits you’ve seen against colleges are made possible because of the Trump executive order.

“Contrast that with the Harris-Biden record, which is one of weakness and appeasement of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Bartos.

Vice President Kamala Harris is surrounding herself with anti-Israel and anti-Jewish advisors, Rosenberg added, “some of the most awful Jew-haters on the planet.”

Pennsylvania elected officials participated in other Oct. 7 events throughout the day.

Democrats Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Bob Casey, and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis were on hand to open the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History for a tour of The Moment the Music Stood Still: The Nova Music Festival Exhibition alongside business leaders, elected officials, and leaders from various faith communities. he exhibition includes both interior and exterior installations aimed at memorializing the victims of the Hamas-led massacre, including personal belongings of festivalgoers, such as burned cars, bullet-riddled structures, and objects left behind by survivors of the attack at the Nova Music Festival.

“We are here to bear witness to the lives lost on that devastating day — a day that should have been filled with music and joy, as people were ambushed while dancing and singing with friends,” Shapiro said. “As we mourn the loss of so many innocent lives over the past year, Lori and I continue to pray for the return of the hostages, for an end to war, for peace in the Middle East, and for strength for all those who courageously combat terror, as well as for tolerance and understanding. ay their memories be a blessing.”

Asked to comment on the solemn day, Rabbi Matthew Abelson, a member of the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis, said, “On the first anniversary of 10/7, the pain and grief is still raw, but the resilience of the Jewish community is the story of this past year. The meaning of Zionism has never been clearer. We must rely on each other and cannot hope that others will save or protect us. he year ahead will be challenging, too, but when we hang together, we cannot be defeated.”

At the Jewish Voices for Trump event, DVJournal asked Sichel if he would describe what he’s experienced — the attack on his restaurant business and the protests — as antisemitism.

“I would say ‘anti-Zionism,’ the right to have our homeland. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. I probably would not be here today if not for Israel.”

And, Sichel added, whatever the motive, the attacks on his business and others in the Jewish community have left them feeling isolated.

“I wish we would have had, on the local level, more strong leadership. s family members, as business owners, we did not have that. It felt like we were fending for ourselves. And it still feels like we’re fending for ourselves.

“I hope whoever becomes president will support the Jewish people.”

More than 1,000 people came to an evening service at Adath Israel in Lower Merion to pray, sing and remember those who died and the 101 people who remain hostages held by Hamas.

Amir Silber, regional director of the American Israeli Council said they had come together to cry, pray and support one another.

“Together we stay strong,” said Silber. “May the memory of those we lost inspire us.”

Rabbi Eric Yanoff said, “It so powerful to be together this evening, culminating an emotional day, an emotional year for us all.”

After Oct. 7, the Jewish community felt the pain of being alone, he said.

“People and institutions we thought were our allies and friends,” Yanoff said. “Which is why I hope tonight can be a tikkun, a correction, just by being together. Together Israelis and Americans, Jews of all backgrounds and people who are not Jewish who are our allies, all of us as humans, together tonight. Together may we find strength, together we can seek hope and together we can find our voice to demand of the world that we bring the hostages home.”

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Even as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is strutting his stuff at the Democratic National Convention convention in Chicago, a conservative think tank from his home state is running a negative ad in the Chicago Tribune.

Shapiro, who was on the shortlist to become Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, has been glad-handing his fellow Democrats in the Windy City, giving speeches and news interviews.

The Commonwealth Foundation ad says despite Shapiro’s slogan that he “Gets S**t Done,” he has enacted the fewest laws of any governor with a divided government. It blames his inability to get the Democratic-controlled House to go along with his legislative proposals, “making him the least productive governor of the Keystone State in at least 50 years.”

The ad lists the other governors with divided legislatures, starting with Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) who passed 1,654 laws, all the way down to Shapiro at 111. It ends with: “Learn more: ShapiroRecord.com.”

“Gov. Shapiro had his moment in the spotlight,” said Erik Telford, Commonwealth Foundation senior vice president. “Now it’s time for him to come home and deliver on the promises he made to Pennsylvanians.”

Shapiro’s failure to unite lawmakers behind immensely popular policies and deliver on his campaign promises has tarnished his reputation in Pennsylvania and on the national stage,” Telford said.

“It’s time for Shapiro to focus on his job as governor, learn to work with the legislature, and follow through on the commitments he made to cut red tape, reduce taxes, and save kids in failing schools,” Telford said.

Commonwealth is a strong proponent of school choice. When he was running for election as governor, Shapiro promised to provide Lifeline Scholarships to disadvantaged kids in failing public schools. But House Democrats, many relying on significant campaign financing from the teachers’ unions, balked. Now, with two budget cycles under his belt, Shapiro has failed to pass the program.

Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bonder did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. However, he previously told DVJournal, “Gov. Shapiro has been delivering for Pennsylvanians on the issues that matter most – growing our economy, investing in education, supporting law enforcement, and protecting freedom.

“In the meantime, the Commonwealth Foundation appears to have taken a break from their hobby of peddling an extreme political agenda to focus on their new passion: graphic design. It’s good to see they are equally bad at both,” Bonder said.

The Commonwealth Foundation’s Shapiro ad also ran in Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention and The Washington Post on July 21.

But the biggest controversy dogging Shapiro is the lingering belief that antisemitism among his fellow Democrats kept Vice President Kamala Harris from picking him as her nominee. He pushed back on that premise at a breakfast event with the Pennsylvania delegation Monday.

“She was very clear about what she wanted. I think Tim fits that really well,” Shapiro told reporters about Harris’ pick, adding: “Now, let me also be very clear here, antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely not.”

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Despite portraying himself as the ‘Get Sh** Done’ governor, a recent survey of 800 Pennsylvania voters showed they feel like Josh Shapiro hasn’t done enough.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Commonwealth Foundation Senior Manager Andre Beliveau told DVJournal.

The poll was released by the Commonwealth Foundation a week before Kamala Harris passed over Shapiro for the vice-presidential spot on the Democratic ticket.

It found that 76 percent believe the governor needed to be more involved in budget negotiations. The budget is supposed to be signed each year by June 30. It’s been late in both years Shapiro’s been in office. It took until early August for Shapiro to sign the initial 2023 budget. The rest wasn’t finalized until just before Christmas. This year, the budget was signed in mid-July.

Shapiro has blamed the state’s divided legislature for the delays. Republicans control the Senate, and Democrats control the House. However, 84 percent of those surveyed called for Shapiro to be more active in working with the legislature to deliver campaign promises.

That included a deal on school vouchers he reached with Senate Republicans last year. Shapiro went back on the promise weeks later after House Democrats revolted.

“Gov. Shapiro made a lot of promises and he hasn’t delivered,” said Beliveau.

The Commonwealth Foundation said the governor had the lowest legislative production of any Pennsylvania governor in the last 50 years. He’s signed 111 bills in his first 18 months of office. Compare that to Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) He signed more than 150 bills over two legislative sessions. Minnesota has a part-time legislature, while Pennsylvania’s serves full time.

One proposal Shapiro promoted heavily was his Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER). The governor called PACER “tailored for Pennsylvania” and swore it would create jobs, lower carbon emissions, and save consumers millions via electricity rebates. The bill died in the legislature.

It was portrayed as an alternative to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the multi-state compact Gov. Tom Wolf (D) unilaterally entered the state into in 2022. The Commonwealth Court removed Pennsylvania from RGGI last year and called it an “invalid tax.” An appeal before the state Supreme Court is pending.

Voters aren’t feeling either compact.

The Commonwealth Foundation poll found 61 percent of respondents disagreed with PACER, fearing it would increase electricity costs. Twenty-nine percent supported PACER.

For RGGI, half of those polled didn’t want the state involved in the program. About 30 percent supported RGGI, which Shapiro avoided discussing during his gubernatorial campaign.

Beliveau said the results show Pennsylvanians care about pocketbook issues, particularly those that would increase utility costs and impact their family. He added the policies were well-intentioned, but he did not believe they would help America maintain energy dominance. He’s certain that pocketbook issues will be on voters’ minds while inside polling places on Election Day.

Transparency and taxpayer-funded air travel also caused waves in the poll.

Almost 75 percent of surveyed voters expressed concern about the $270,000 in taxpayer-funded airfare Shapiro used during his first year of office. Twenty-two percent expressed little to no concern. Shapiro’s used the plane for everything from opening a new state park to visiting a South Carolina resort to attending a Phillies playoff game. In contrast, Wolf spent $487,000 during his eight years in office, while Republican Gov. Tom Corbett spent $481,000 in four years.

One way Shapiro followed in the footsteps of Wolf and Corbett involves his daily calendar. The governor has not released his daily calendar to the public. Corbett and Wolf also kept parts of their calendar private.

The lack of transparency is a point of contention. More than three-fourths of those surveyed say that the governor needed to be more transparent with Pennsylvanians on what he does during the day. Just 17 percent say it was not a big deal.

Despite those concerns, Shapiro remains popular with voters. His average approval rating hovered around 60 percent during his first two years in office. However, voters seem to want Shapiro to govern more and talk less.

Beliveau saw the poll as proof that politicians can’t just pay lip service to their constituents during speeches and public events.

“People can promise the world, but have they followed through on their actions,” he said.

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In an incredibly divisive election season, there is one thing that major pundits and political figures I bring on my show agree on: Whichever presidential candidate wins Pennsylvania is going to win the presidency.

Pennsylvania is a swing state and has 19 electoral votes, making it the key state to reach the required 270 electoral votes and win the presidency.

So, why did Vice President Kamala Harris choose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate? Is Shapiro not seen as a popular and capable governor? On the contrary, he is seen as very capable and has a job approval rating of about 61 percent.

Shapiro’s also a world-class campaigner and even though very liberal, he has been able to posture effectively as a moderate and even somewhat bipartisan. Walz is from a deep blue state, and someone known as at least as progressive as Harris.

You will hear spin that Shapiro was not chosen because he is not viewed as a team player. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) apparently was instrumental in pointing that out to Harris and her advisors. And Shapiro was labeled as “overly ambitious.” Shapiro seemed like he’s been running for president for years. With Harris viewed as a weak political player, she and her advisers probably thought Shapiro, would overshadow her.

However, I think the main reason he wasn’t chosen is a lot uglier than that. Shapiro is Jewish and has properly and publicly defended the right of Israel to defend itself against enemies who launched horrific attacks on innocent people in Israel: the unspeakable savagery of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7. He supported Israel’s attempts to hunt down members of Hamas. He also pushed back against the mobs on college campuses like Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and others that allowed Jewish students on their campuses to be threatened and attacked.

Those moral and logical positions are not allowed by significant numbers of the current Democratic Party. On CNN, progressive Van Jones agreed Shapiro was passed over because, “You also have antisemitism that has gotten marbled into this party. You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti- Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there. And there’s some disquiet now- and there has to be- how much of what just happened is caving into some of the darker parts of the party?”

That a polite way of saying the progressive mob of the party has veto power over almost any supporter of Israel.

So, what has Harris gotten in Walz? First, he’s a governor who took days to send in the national guard as cities in Minnesota were burning during riots after the killing of George Floyd. Walz has backed defunding the police and opposes fracking.

Yet, he has been sold as a guy who can come to places like rural Pennsylvania and reach voters through a progressive agenda and a folksy persona. He has said things like, “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.” Apparently, because he likes cabins and ice fishing, he will be able to win back Trump voters across the more remote parts of Pennsylvania. Watch for Republicans to highlight his cozy relationship with the Communist Chinese Party leadership and his abandoning of his leadership role in the Minnesota National Guard when it was going to be deployed in Iraq.

I see Walz as someone who mirrors Harris’ radical agenda and someone who will get no traction in Pennsylvania, other than in Democratic bastions like Philadelphia. As far as Josh Shapiro, he is a very formidable opponent who has been taught a brutal lesson about the bigotry of his own party.

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(This article first appeared in Broad + Liberty)

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is now claiming that after his Secretary of Legislative Affairs had been accused by a subordinate of sexual misconduct and harassment in the workplace in 2023, he did not find out about either the accusations or the resulting investigation until “months after” the events.

The new revelation, stemming from a statement made by Shapiro’s spokesperson to the New York Times, raises a fresh set of questions, especially given that the governor met with a number of female state senators soon after news of the scandal broke to reassure them that his office took workplace sexual harassment seriously.

Two Republican state senators reacted to the new line of defense with astonishment, essentially saying the argument was hard if not impossible to believe. Meanwhile, a request for comment was not returned from numerous female Democratic senators who had expressed concern with Shapiro’s office had handled the issue.

The original matter dates back to the earliest weeks of the Shapiro administration — nearly all of February and the first week of March 2023.

At that time, a young woman went to work in the Governor’s Office of Legislative Affairs, headed up by Shapiro’s long-time ally, Mike Vereb, a Republican. Shapiro’s administration was just being formed, so new offices were coming together, new working relationships were being formed.

But on March 7, the woman abruptly resigned. She later wrote a highly detailed, eleven-page “interview statement” in which she alleged Vereb had initially been controlling and possessive, but those behaviors later became more aggressive. At one point, the accuser says Vereb made sexually explicit remarks about the two of them entering a physical relationship. The “interview statement” was signed on March 31, 2023, and then formed the basis of a complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, which adjudicates such matters.

Broad + Liberty was first to break news of allegations against Vereb on Sept. 28, 2023, one day after Vereb resigned. “Given the 200+ days between the [accuser’s] departure in March and Vereb’s resignation on Wednesday, the affair raises questions for the first-term governor about the degree to which Gov. Shapiro believed Vereb over the accuser and his willingness to risk keeping a potential liability on staff,” Broad + Liberty wrote at the time.

Now Shapiro is claiming he was unaware.

The key passage from the Times article authored by Sharon LaFraniere, says: “In a statement on Friday night, Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Mr. Shapiro, said the governor ‘was not aware of the complaint or investigation until months after the complaint was filed.’ Mr. Shapiro should have been notified of the allegations sooner, Mr. Bonder said, and he has now ordered that he be immediately informed of any such complaint against a senior staff or cabinet member.”

Although the motive behind the new statement is not completely clear, it seems reasonable to think Shapiro is responding to criticisms of how long Vereb continued to linger in his job after the allegations were made.

However, certain elements of the timeline can be gleaned from different sources which either cast doubt on Shaprio’s new account, or would otherwise seem to implicate members of his top staff of extreme negligence, none of which would reflect well on the Shapiro administration.

First, according to the accuser’s account, she levied her accusations against Vereb on March 6, 2023, in a meeting with her superior, Adrienne Muller, Vereb’s executive deputy secretary of legislative affairs, as well as Darice Mayhew, the governor’s director of administration.

Early the next morning on March 7, 2022, an email went out to certain members of Shapiro’s staff saying that the accuser had just quit.

Then 2:34 p.m. the same day, an email was circulated discussing “internal personnel matters[.]” That email included both Executive Deputy Chief of Staff Larry Halisham, and Mayhew, according to a document log obtained by Broad + Liberty.

Having the executive deputy chief of staff looped in on the accuser’s departure so quickly would seem to get the matter placed close to the governor, unless Halisham’s underlings were keeping the core matter from him.

The accuser signed her complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on May 26, 2023, and the complaint also says a simultaneous filing was made with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Either  of those actions should have triggered the governor’s notice.

Finally, documents show the $295,000 out-of-court settlement between the accuser and Shapiro’s administration was finalized on Sept. 5, 2023, when the mediator signed the agreement. Shapiro’s attorneys signed the agreement on Sept. 1. Negotiations would have taken place for days if not weeks before the agreement could be finalized.

Shapiro had to have known about the allegations by this time, or else his office was somehow able to execute a $295,000 settlement without the governor’s knowledge — especially because about $45,000 of the settlement had to come from somewhere in the governor’s own office funds. Yet Vereb remained in office for another three to four weeks after the settlement was signed.

Broad + Liberty emailed a request for comment to Democratic Senators Katie Muth (Montgomery), Lisa Boscola (Lehigh/Northampton), Amanda Cappelletti (Delaware/Montgomery), Judith Schwank (Berks), and Christine Tartaglione (Philadelphia). In an effort to make sure that request for comment was not missed, Broad + Liberty also included the press secretary for the Democratic Senate Caucus, and texted that press secretary as well. None of those parties responded.

The request for comment was sent to those senators in particular because they were named as having participated in a conference with Shapiro about a week after Vereb’s departure to discuss concerns about how the matter had been handled.

“The lawmakers — some of whom had questioned Shapiro’s handling of the allegations lodged against Mike Vereb, his top liaison to the General Assembly — declined to comment after the meeting,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. “Some left the hour-long, closed-door meeting visibly frustrated, and one senator later said she still had ‘unanswered questions.’”

The Pennsylvania Senate’s top-ranking officer, Senate President Pro Tem Kim Ward (Westmoreland) provided unvarnished criticisms in the wake of the “didn’t know” line of defense from Shapiro and his press secretary.

“It is unimaginable that Gov. Josh Shapiro had no knowledge of the sexual harassment incidents taking place in his own office. Let’s be clear — there were not one but two cabinet level secretaries, who are direct reports to Shapiro named in this sexual harassment matter. One stepped down on his own and the other remains in his powerful advisory role to Shapiro to this day,” Sen. Ward said, referring to Akbar Hossain, Shapiro’s secretary of policy and planning.

The accuser’s complaint said Hossain made sexually inappropriate remarks suggesting the accuser was already in a physical relationship with Vereb. It’s not currently clear the degree to which these allegations have been addressed.

“It is becoming apparent that any attention Shapiro or his staff gave this matter was protective to cover their office. Shapiro has had every opportunity to step up and do the right thing and he has failed every time,” Ward added. “Leadership and culture start at the top. Shapiro’s excuse that he didn’t know until months after two of his top advisors were named in a sexual harassment complaint by an employee in his own office is simply not believable.”

Senator Kristen Phillips-Hill (R – York) was also highly critical given the new remarks by Bonder.

“More than a year later, the sexual harassment incident involving Gov. Shapiro’s inner circle remains unresolved. Worse yet and with each inquiry, we uncover more evidence that a ‘thorough investigation’ was never completed. It’s clear Gov. Shapiro’s words and actions don’t match as demonstrated by the timeline of emails and data. Equally disturbing in this matter is the other cabinet secretary named in the claim remains a direct report to Shapiro to this day, and there is no evidence that his actions were ever addressed,” Phillips-Hill said.

“I know the governor has his eyes set on the Naval Observatory (the Vice President’s official residence) but perhaps he could learn from someone who once served as Vice President. Harry Truman had a slogan on his desk that read, ‘The buck stops here.’ Under the Shapiro Administration, words get broken and blame gets passed. The hypocrisy of claiming to protect victims of sexual harassment, while his administration quickly and quietly hands out NDAs should not be lost on anyone. It’s a pattern of behavior that needs to be remedied through bipartisan legislation because Gov. Shapiro can’t lead the effort.”

The accuser’s attorney, Chuck Pascal, was also harsh on the new defense.

“Either 1) he has no idea what goes on in his own inner circle, and office suite; or, 2) his top staff, including his Chief of Staff, keeps him in a “good news only” bubble for whatever reason; or 3) this statement has ZERO credibility,” Pascal posted on X yesterday.

“Also, this ‘statement’ [by Bonder] is incredibly offensive in that it assumes that we, the public, and also those of us who know all of these players, are just stupid or will drink the kool-aid. It’s offensive and  insulting,” Pascal added.

In addition to representing the accuser, Pascal is the chair of Armstrong County Democratic Committee, and a member of the PA Democratic Party Executive Committee.

Requests for comment to Vereb were not returned or were unsuccessful.

A Broad + Liberty report on Friday raised questions about the thoroughness of any misconduct investigation into Vereb. The report provided documents showing the governor’s office may have provided legal advice to Vereb at a time when he should have been under investigation.

The report also showed that in response to a Right to Know request for certain documents such as a letter or email informing Vereb that he was under investigation, the governor’s office said no such documents exist.

(This article first appeared in Broad + Liberty)

A document obtained by Broad + Liberty suggests that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office may have been providing legal advice to then-Secretary of Legislative Affairs Mike Vereb while simultaneously investigating Vereb for workplace harassment claims made by one of his subordinates in March 2023.

If such advice took place, it would create an enormous conflict of interest that would severely undermine Gov. Shapiro’s (D) claims that his office had conducted an above-reproach investigation into the accusations made against Vereb that month.

The Vereb scandal is viewed as one of the primary weaknesses in Shapiro’s positioning to possibly be elevated to Vice President Kamala Harris’ soon-to-be presidential ticket.

Vereb, a Montgomery County Republican who also has a long history with Shapiro, abruptly resigned on Sept. 27 last year. The following day, Broad + Liberty broke the news that Vereb’s departure was linked to workplace harassment allegations made months before by a female deputy who worked in Vereb’s office but lasted only a month before resigning.

That woman, who is not named in this article because she is possibly the victim of harassment and sexual assault, filed a lengthy, detailed complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The matter was later settled out of court for $295,000.

The documents obtained by Broad + Liberty were produced as a byproduct of a Right to Know Law (RTK) request submitted in December while following up on lingering questions from the original reporting.

After the governor’s office largely denied the request, Broad + Liberty appealed the denial to the Office of Open Records. During that appeal, the governor’s office produced an exemption log for many of the documents it hoped to avoid having to turn over.

One document described by the log was an email forwarded from Christina Palmer, a senior legal analyst in the governor’s office of general counsel, to Vereb. The log described it as an “email forwarding legal advice.” The log also indicates the email had two attachments which the governor’s office wanted to withhold because they contained “attorney client or work product” as well as “internal, predecisional deliberations.”

The OOR’s Final Determination, issued June 14, 2024, allowed the governor’s office to withhold those documents and many more.

“Without knowing more, it certainly appears to be a blatant conflict of interest,” said Charlie Gerow, a longtime Republican consultant who is also an attorney. “How you can investigate somebody while simultaneously providing legal counsel to them is a huge question mark.”

Vereb, reached by text message Friday afternoon, declined to comment.

After the OOR’s Final Determination, the governor’s office only produced three pages of other documents. Broad + Liberty is appealing the matter to Commonwealth Court in the hopes of providing more details about the nature and scope of the investigation to the public.

The governor’s office invoked the appeal when approached for comment on this story.

“Because you have filed an appeal in this Right to Know Law matter, and it therefore remains in litigation, we cannot provide comment on that issue,” said Manuel Bonder, Shapiro’s spokesperson.

“Additionally, [the Office of General Counsel] represents the Office of the Governor and executive agencies, and not individual officials in their personal capacities,” Bonder added.

Other elements of the Right to Know, and the subsequent response from Shapiro’s office, raise other serious questions.

Broad + Liberty’s request asked for “Any email from any person in the office of Gov[ernor] Josh Shapiro, to Mike Vereb, from the dates of March 1, 2023, to and including May 1, 2023, that notifies Mike Vereb of an investigation into his workplace conduct.”

It also asked for any email sent or received by Mike Vereb, “from the dates of Feb[ruary] 24, 2023, to and including June 1, 2023, mentioning an investigation into Mike Vereb’s workplace conduct.”

To both of these points, the governor’s open records officer said no such records existed, which raises questions about the robustness of any investigation.

At an earlier point in the RTK appeal, the OOR bluntly asked the governor’s office “whether a noncriminal investigation was actually performed into this matter” by the governor’s office.

The office responded by generally arguing that answering that question would violate the protections afforded by the Right to Know Law when it allows documents related to noncriminal investigations to be withheld.

“If such investigation occurred, those records exist and are exempt – if no such investigation occurred, no such records exist,” the governor’s open records officer wrote, without ever providing a “yes” or “no” answer to the question.

Some in Harrisburg already suspected that  this investigation was lackluster — or even nonexistent.

“It would not be any surprise to me to find out there was zero investigation done,” said Rep. Abby Major, a Republican state representative from Armstrong and Westmoreland counties in western Pennsylvania. “I have said from the beginning that if the [accusing] documents hadn’t been leaked that [the governor’s office] would have paid the settlement, had [the accuser] sign the non-disclosure agreement, and Mike Vereb would still be working in that office.”

Bonder refuted that notion.

“[A]s we have repeatedly stated, the Commonwealth maintains an independent, robust, professional process to allow people to come forward safely, as was the case in this matter,” Bonder said. “Through that process, every investigation is conducted independently from the Governor’s Office. Your assumptions to the contrary are false and unfounded.”

The open records office did determine that a few of the documents listed in the privilege index were related to a noncriminal investigation. But it should also be noted that when the governor’s office invoked the noncriminal investigation exemption to withhold a batch of documents, the OOR ruled against the governor’s office, meaning those documents had to be handed over. However, none of the documents that were turned over resembled anything that would have matched that part of the records request.

Rep. Major had been a confidant to the accuser in the months following her departure from the legislative affairs office, in no small part because Major herself claimed to have been a victim of sexual harassment while working at the Capitol.

After the Vereb scandal originally broke, Shapiro was able to avoid discussing the matter for a whole week until reporters pressed the issue at a live event in Bethlehem.

“I can’t comment on any specifics, and that’s really designed to be able to protect all parties involved in any matter,” Shapiro was quoted as saying. “I can tell you, [Vereb] no longer works for my administration.”

But Shapiro’s use of Vereb’s departure as a shield is undercut by the fact that Vereb continued in his role for at least six months after the accuser’s complaints were made known to his administration. He was fired only when the story was about to become public.

At the same press conference, Shapiro stirred even more controversy. When asked about complaints from Republican Senate President Kim Ward (Westmoreland County) and other women in the General Assembly that the Vereb matter had not been handled promptly, Shapiro responded, “First off, I’d just say ‘consider the source,’ when it comes to the president Pro Tem.”

Ward, the first female Senate Pro Tem and Senate Majority leader in Pennsylvania history, unleashed new criticisms on Shapiro after being shown the documents in this report, saying that the entire episode had shown the governor didn’t take women seriously.

“It is clear Shapiro’s hubris, ambition, and desire for power of a higher office has blinded his judgment. Shapiro boldly permitted sexual harassment matters to go unaddressed for months despite having every opportunity to meet his moral obligation to protect people,” Ward told Broad + Liberty.

“Instead, he allowed a woman and the women around her to live in fear while obscuring the truth and putting his staff in a culpable position despite having every opportunity to correct course,” Ward continued. “The truth of one’s character is how you act when no one is watching. If Shapiro allowed this toxic situation to play out publicly, it’s difficult to imagine what we don’t know. It’s appalling, infuriating, and disgusting knowing that Shapiro deemed this behavior acceptable. More disturbing is how Shapiro put his personal political ambitions ahead of doing the right thing. By doing so, Shapiro displayed a general disrespect for women.”

As Shapiro has increasingly defended his administration in the runup to Harris officially naming a running mate on Tuesday, the governor has made reference to his time as attorney general when he successfully prosecuted numerous priests within the Catholic Church.

Some of Shapiro’s critics, however, say it’s ironic that Shapiro denounced the church’s use of nondisclosure agreements to hide its abuse, but now similarly uses an NDA to divulge precious few details about the Vereb affair.

The intense spotlight that comes with a presidential campaign means both Shapiro and Vereb have faced additional scrutiny.

ABC News reported late Friday that a woman came forward accusing Vereb of invoking Shapiro’s power while threatening the woman in a 2018 incident.

Vereb “allegedly invoked Shapiro’s name on the call, telling the woman that ‘by the time he and Josh were done with me, I would be worse than nothing,’ said the woman, who requested that her name not be published,” the ABC News report said.

The report also noted that, “There is no evidence that Shapiro, who was at the time Pennsylvania’s state attorney general, was aware of Vereb’s allegedly threatening call.”

The alleged victim emailed Democratic and Republican leaders in the General Assembly in October last year in the wake of Vereb’s September resignation, the ABC report noted.

Keeping Vereb on for months was also jarring because, at that time, Harrisburg had just witnessed another sexual misconduct scandal — one in which it later was revealed the accusations had been known for years.

Broad + Liberty was first to report that State Rep. Mike Zabel was the individual referred to by an SEIU lobbyist in January of 2023. The lobbyist made her allegations in a public forum but did not name Zabel.

Zabel, a Delaware County Democrat, resigned days later, but only after Rep. Major went public with accusations that Zabel had propositioned her at a bar, and then later followed her to her car while she was alone.

Zabel announced on March 8, 2023, that he would leave his seat on March 16.

Vereb’s accuser resigned her position on March 7, 2023.

Spotlight PA later broke that “Pennsylvania House Democrats for the first time have acknowledged that the caucus knew about a sexual harassment allegation against state Rep. Mike Zabel (D., Delaware) in 2019, several years before similar claims became public[.]”

Some legislation is pending that would attempt to deal with how misconduct allegations are handled in political offices.

Vereb’s accuser told Penn Capital-Star reporter Kim Lyons about one idea she’s particularly hopeful for.

“I am most interested in ensuring third independent, unbiased parties are involved in investigations, which is being championed by Senators [Kim] Ward and [Maria] Collett, a true bipartisan effort of women,” she said.

By now, we have all heard Gov. Josh Shapiro complain that he is tired of getting his “ass kicked” by other states. He has opined that Pennsylvania is losing out to economic development in Ohio. Ask the authorities, planners and chambers of commerce in the western part of the state about the difficulties of enticing businesses to come to Pennsylvania, rather than Ohio.

Pennsylvania is also next in line to get an old-fashioned “whooping” by West Virginia, a state that not only actively supports the coal industry, but also the natural gas industry and the integrity of the electric grid. Recently, West Virginia landed a $3.3 billion combined cycle electric generation plant. Ask the boilermakers in Pittsburgh where their members are working. Rather than packing their lunch boxes, it has been said they are packing their suitcases.

Pennsylvania has more natural gas than West Virginia, but our governor is more interested in solar panels. Recently, Shapiro announced an initiative that will provide 50 percent of the commonwealth government’s electricity from renewable sources. He wants to beat California in supplying more solar power for government operations. How does any of this benefit Pennsylvania?

In May, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Order No. 1920, a sweeping agenda that supports climate goals never approved by Congress. The most liberal of states interpret this order as an avenue to socializing rates across the 13 states that make up our electric grid. This means that the cost of upgrades to transmission lines caused by Illinois’ decision to close all coal and gas-fired electric generation will be shared across the other states. Pennsylvania ratepayers will foot the bill for the “green” policy of Illinois. Is this in the best interest of Pennsylvanians?

Joining the governors of New Jersey, Maryland and Illinois, Shapiro recently signed a joint letter to FERC supporting Order No. 1920. Once again, our governor fails to recognize Pennsylvania as an energy producer and ignores the benefits of producing low-cost electricity. Instead, he supports mandating that we share our good fortune with those who want to pursue a “green” agenda, but still accept the benefits of Pennsylvania energy production.

Shapiro has found himself at the forefront of the list of potential candidates for vice president of the United States, something that would normally be a real honor for Pennsylvania. The presidential candidate at hand, however, has a view of energy that is the antithesis of anything beneficial to Pennsylvania. She has publicly stated that, if elected, she will do two things: ban fracking and ban offshore drilling.

Since about 90 percent of oil and gas production in the U.S. involves some form of fracking, and since Pennsylvania produces about 20 percent of the natural gas consumed in the U.S., those statements are 100% contrary to the interests of Pennsylvania. If our governor is chosen for the second spot on the Democratic ticket, does that mean he will adopt the view of his running mate and support a ban on fracking?

So, while Ohio takes our economic development and West Virginia takes our experienced workforce, our governor is competing with California for solar panels. He supports the socialization of electric rates across the grid, and only time will tell if he supports his potential new boss in her push to ban fracking. In the meantime, we find ourselves asking: how does this “leadership” benefit Pennsylvanians?

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A women’s organization is asking Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign to consider Gov. Josh Shapiro’s record on sexual harassment as she looks for a running mate.

The statement of the nonpartisan National Women’s Defense League (NWDL) comes as the freshman Pennsylvania governor is reportedly on the vice presidential shortlist.

Harris is expected to be formally chosen as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee via online voting over the weekend.

Last fall, Shapiro’s office agreed to pay a woman employee $295,000 to settle her complaint that his former chief of staff, Mike Vereb, made inappropriate comments to her. The woman signed a nondisclosure agreement that barred both sides from discussing the case.

Vereb, a former state representative, had stepped down from his position in the Shapiro administration. But it was discovered the woman made her allegations months before Vereb resigned.

At the time, state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) said, “The lack of transparency and accountability surrounding this process is very disturbing, and, unfortunately, the taxpayers are footing the bill. Harassment of any kind in the workplace is never acceptable, and when these incidents occur at the highest levels of state government, the public deserves answers. We are currently reevaluating the handling of this incident, and I believe changes will be needed to ensure that victims are protected, wrongdoers are held responsible, and taxpayers are respected.”

Several bills that were subsequently introduced did not make it into law.

“Gov. Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing the sexual harassment happening in his own office by Cabinet Secretary Mike Vereb, including protecting the survivor who bravely came forward, ensuring that any other potential survivors felt safe in speaking up, and ensuring the harasser didn’t have the opportunity to do further harm after the complaint,” said NWDL director Emma Davidson Tibbs.

“As the Harris campaign and the Democratic Party consider their options for vice presidential candidates, we urge them to consider the handling of past complaints of sexual harassment inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office. The American people deserve to know that, if called to a higher office, Gov. Shapiro will do more to ensure the safety and dignity of employees, volunteers and constituents in his office.”

Sexual harassment accusations against Vereb were not the only ones that came to light in Harrisburg last year.

Mike Zabel, a Democrat who was a state representative from Delaware County, also resigned under a cloud around the same time.

Zabel stepped down after fellow Rep. Abigail Major spoke out about a drunken pass Zabel allegedly made, then followed her to her car. Several other women had also claimed Zabel behaved inappropriately toward them. The scandal erupted after SEIU lobbyist Andi Perez came forward to say Zabel put his hand on her leg during a business conversation. His former campaign manager, Colleen Kennedy, also made accusations.

“Sexual harassment is especially rampant in our government and political workspaces, and we need leaders who will buck the pernicious status quo. We deserve leaders who will champion reforms that do not silence survivors, but empower and support them. We deserve leaders who will not brush sexual harassment under the rug, but will put accountability above politics. We need leaders who prioritize effective policies, protocols and culture that prevents sexual harassment and protects survivors,” said Davidson Tibbs.

“Our research indicates that there is rarely only one survivor in cases like this one. When it comes to sexual harassment, silence is not golden–it’s a red flag,” she added.

Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Shapiro said, “Gov. Shapiro has a long track record of protecting survivors and prosecuting predators – as attorney general, he exposed decades of child sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church and put those who abused children behind bars. As governor, he has repeatedly called on the Senate to send him a bill – which has already passed the House – to provide victims of sexual abuse with an opportunity to achieve justice and accountability.

“Gov. Shapiro and his administration take every allegation of discrimination and harassment extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to thoroughly investigate all reports. Those procedures are implemented in every instance where complaints of discrimination or harassment are made and all allegations are promptly and fully investigated to ensure employees feel comfortable to report misconduct. In order to protect the privacy of every current and former commonwealth employee involved, the administration does not comment further on specific personnel matters,” he said.

The Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Harris is expected to name her vice presidential pick soon and plans a rally in Philadelphia to introduce her choice Tuesday evening.

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Pennsylvania has a new law regarding Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM). While a few decent reforms were achieved, the public ought to know that the changes made to the bill the day before the vote substantially weakened the original legislation.

The changes watered down much needed transparency for PBM and will allow these wealthy corporations to continue to grow wealthier at the expense of Pennsylvanians, especially those with multiple chronic medical conditions.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) are middlemen with colossal influence over the whole pharmaceutical chain. The Big 3 PBM that control 80 percent of the prescription drug market became Fortune top 15 companies by dipping their nimble fingers in a host of revenue pockets.

PBM collect hidden ‘rebates’ (legalized kickbacks) and fees from pharmaceutical companies– an enormous conflict of interest,  given that  PBMs define the formulary, the list of drugs “covered” by insurance. The FTC has been investigating PBM  rebate practices, questioning how they drive high drug prices while operating with little transparency.

PBMs serve as payment conduits between the payers and pharmacies. In this role, they have been accused of paying independent pharmacies less than big box stores like CVS (which owns one of the three biggest PBM), thus forcing the closure of community pharmacies. Over 140 pharmacies have closed in Pennsylvania this year, many in underserved, rural areas.

 In addition, the PBM makes money by charging payers (including  Medicaid) more than they pay the pharmacy and keeping the difference. Some would call this thievery, but it is euphemistically known as ‘spread pricing.’

In Ohio alone, PBMs were caught helping themselves to over $240 million yearly.

PBMs have been able to steer patients to get their medication at PBM-owned pharmacy chains, further padding their revenues and putting independent pharmacies at risk.

When faced with scrutiny regarding their questionable business practices, the PBMs play a shell game of enhancing a previously lesser-tapped revenue stream. A decade ago, the biggest share of PBM profits was from the aforementioned rebates.

Now nearly 40 percent of their gross profits come from the specialty pharmacy business.  The big PBM own their own specialty pharmacies. Specialty drugs are medications used for complex, chronic or life-threatening problems like cancer or multiple sclerosis, usually include the most expensive medications.

What did the Pennsylvania bill do? Rep. Jessica Benham (D-Pittsburgh) and Sen. Judy Ward (R-Blair) highlighted the positives for independent pharmacies, including prohibiting  PBMs from reimbursing more to their  PBM-affiliated pharmacies and clawing back money from independent pharmacies. Excellent measures.

What about the last-minute changes? For starters, the ban on spread pricing was removed, letting legal thievery continue in Pennsylvania.

Changes also eroded PBM transparency measures. What transparency can we count on when the changes provided that PBM report on rebates and fees in the aggregate, not specifically concerning the drug, class of drug, insurer, client or PBM?

Individuals paying exorbitant amounts for a drug they need will not be able to see how ‘rebates’ and fees drove the cost. Patients covered under applicable plans will not be able to see data on how their medications may be marked up by specific PBM under specific plans.

It’s happening. At a recent congressional hearing, it was pointed out that a cancer drug had been marked up by as much as 63,000 percent. Multiple examples were given.  Without specific financial information, this transparency means little. And even less, given that changes to the law stipulate that all financial info is privileged, not subject to discovery, subpoena or right-to-know laws.

Gov. Josh Shapiro stated that the new law ‘put a stop to PBM steering.” It didn’t.  Amendments added gave exceptions for PBM’s ability to steer patients toward a specialty pharmacy.  As mentioned above, these are often the most expensive medications and where the bulk of PBM profits are made nowadays.

An additional last-minute change expands the age at which pharmacists and interns can administer injectable medications and biologics down to age 8. This can have positive ramifications for those with chronic diseases who are having trouble accessing specialized medications.

However, given the past performance of consolidated PBM to game the system toward profits, with their ability to steer patients for specialty drugs, and administer injectables to young children we must remain vigilant that our youngest and most vulnerable patients are receiving only medically necessary, quality care and that they do not become yet another inflated revenue stream at the hands of the PBMs.

Lastly, it bears mention that this law applies to only roughly 17 percent of Pennsylvanians. The law does not apply to employer-sponsored coverage that falls under the ERISA  (Employee Retirement Income Security Act ) law.  Federal legislation is needed. While, as mentioned, the new law has some wonderful benefits, especially for our state’s trusted independent pharmacies, the last-minute changes are a disappointment to those who fought for PBM transparency. Instead it allows the PBMs to use their consolidation to keep their revenues flowing at the expense of the patients.

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Nearly 2,000 people filled the gym at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pa. on Monday to hear Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer make the case for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

The audience’s energy and enthusiasm mirrored some Trump rallies.

And if vice presidents are supposed to be the president’s attack dogs, Shapiro bared his teeth for this potential audition to share the ticket with Harris.

In remarks greeted by cheers, applause and whistles, Shapiro fired broadsides at Trump while Whitmer lambasted Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the Republicans’ vice-presidential nominee.

Gretchen Whitmer (Credit: Harris for Pennsylvania)

“Vice President Harris has been battle-tested,” Shapiro said, touting her background as “a tough-as-nails prosecutor.”

“She is ready to be not just the standard-bearer of our party, but to be the 47th president of the United States. She’s not only ready. She’s damn ready. You know who else knows she’s ready? Donald Trump knows she’s ready.”

“He’s afraid to debate her now…He’s afraid to debate her because he can’t defend his record.”

“He’s got a record of failure,” Shapiro claimed.

“He packed the Supreme Court. He ended Roe v. Wade. Donald Trump did that,” Shapiro said.  “He did that when he had no earthly idea of how to be president. He didn’t know what he was doing and there were a whole lot of guardrails around Donald Trump when he was president.”

He told the crowd to “be extra scared” because the U.S. Supreme Court “just ruled that the rule of law doesn’t apply to Donald Trump,” a reference to a ruling defining the scope of presidential immunity.

“He is dangerous. He is destructive, and the guardrails are off.”

Shapiro also attacked the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” alleging it was “Trump’s Project 2025,” though Trump played no role in creating this conservative wish list compiled by a D.C. think tank.

“I’ve got a message to Donald Trump: Stop sh*t-talking America,” Shapiro added. “While he’s hugging the flag, he’s ripping away our freedoms. It’s not freedom to tell our children what books they’re allowed to read…It’s not freedom to tell women what they’re allowed what they’re do with their bodies.”

Whitmer turned her sights on Vance. “He’s made his values clear. He does not see women as equals. He does not want everyone to have a seat at the table. He’s scared of us because Democrats want everyone to have a seat at the table, even cat lovers and dog lovers alike.”

“He is efficient. In one sentence, he insulted women, Black people, and Jewish people,” said Whitmer.

The people who DVJournal spoke to were fans of both Harris and Shapiro.

Robert Arnold of Doylestown said Shapiro is “clearly thoughtful, intelligent, not reactionary.” He met Shapiro once, and “he was very pleasant and approachable. I agree with a lot of his policies.”

Ekins Park resident Roz Weiss called Harris “brilliant.”

“She’s got the energy we need,” said Weiss. “She’s a person that comes from the heart like Joe Biden. She cares about people. She’s got a lot of courage.”

“In America, we’re a tapestry of people,” added Weiss, who was one of the White women supporters on a two-hour Zoom call for Harris last week. “We’ve got to celebrate that not denigrate it.”

She believes Shapiro is “a man of integrity and honesty.”

Her daughter, Amy Martin, of Abington, said she supports the Democratic candidates because she has a transgender child and a 12-year-old daughter.

“I want her to be able to choose what to do with her body,” she said.

Oreland resident Paul Halpern said he “loves” Shapiro’s policies as a governor.

“He’s highly capable,” said Halpern. “He’s got a lot of government experience. He started at the bottom and worked his way up.”

As for Harris, “I think she’s battle-tested.”

“She’ll rip [Trump’s] liver out and serve it with a nice chianti during the debate,” Halpern said, quoting “Silence of the Lambs.” “I think she can win,” he added.

Former state Sen. Daylin Leach, who lives in Upper Merion, said he likes and admires Harris.

“She’s peaking at just the right time,” said Leach.  He also praised Shapiro as someone who is in politics to help people.

“He cares a lot about people,” said Leach. “He cares about his community.” And Shapiro listens to others’ perspectives. “He’s a rare person in politics.”

Darby Township Commissioner Racquel Holman said the rally was “great.”

“It was energizing,” said Holman. As for Shapiro, “I think he’d make a great running mate for Vice President Harris.”

Kush Desai, a Republican National Committee spokesman, dismissed the criticisms.

Harris, Shapiro, and Whitmer were beating “the dead horse that is Project 2025,” Desai said.

He cited Harris’ record of open borders, inflation, an anti-energy crusade, “capitulating to the far-left on Israel,” and “embracing defund the police radicals.”

Shapiro had his own message.

“I want a future where I can look the 47th president in the eye, and say, ‘Hello, Madame President.’”