DV Journal

Vice President Harris made an unusual statement after greeting recently released former Russian prisoners at Joint Base Andrews. Among the freed prisoners were Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter; Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine; and two others. Harris’s statement was intended to compliment absent-minded President Biden’s vast knowledge of diplomacy.

“I’m very grateful for our president. … This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in the understanding of the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances,” Harris said with a somnambulistic Biden, mouth agape, standing beside her. It is likely that Biden’s reported cognitive decline has been hastened by listening to Harris talk.

An important political message to voters from this Harris “jumble speak” about diplomacy could be that by complimenting Biden about his understanding of diplomacy, she is signaling that she has learned “valuable lessons” about how to conduct diplomacy if she becomes president. Diplomacy requires accuracy and precise meaning in communications. To date, Harris has not demonstrated the skills to conduct serious diplomacy.

“Word salad” is often used to describe Harris’s speaking style. Her public statements about administration policy are not examples of clear communication. Harris’s jumble-speak word salads in diplomatic settings could be humiliating for America. Worse, her imprecise language, lack of clarity and an unusual penchant for laughing could lead to diplomatic disasters.

While Russia’s exchange of prisoners is a relief for their families and a welcome moment for our country, Harris’s comment about “strengthening alliances” deserves scrutiny, considering the Biden-Harris ill-timed announcement of a U.S. plea deal with the mastermind of the September 11 terror attacks on New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Nearly 3,000 Americans died in the attacks and the plane crash in Shanksville, Pa.

Alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants accused of plotting the 2001 terror attacks await justice in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They agreed to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty.

After public outrage over the plea deal, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin rescinded the decision. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, has announced hearings to investigate who in the administration allowed the terrorists to escape the death penalty. The families and friends of those lost on September 11 deserve to know how this happened and who is accountable. Americans deserve answers.

In 2021, Reuters reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken considered a special envoy tasked with closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Critics of the prison say it represents U.S. “excesses,” such as torture, in the war on terror. If Blinken had a role in striking the plea deal with terrorists, he should not be leading the State Department.

The plea deal with the September 11 terrorists is bad timing, bad messaging, and bad politics. Biden and Blinken, in a rush to establish serious diplomatic credentials for Harris, have created a huge political problem that won’t likely disappear before the election.

The Biden-Harris outrageous and dangerous plea deal with terrorists is a gift to Donald Trump.  It is also a gift to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. It will likely help them to increase GOP numbers in Congress.

The bloody diplomatic wasteland of Biden and Harris encompasses the world: The Russia-Ukraine War. The Hamas terror attack in Israel. Iran’s likely pending war against Israel. Conflict in Venezuela. The border crisis with Mexico. Central American gangs murdering and terrorizing Americans.

Their understanding of diplomacy has led Biden and Harris to allow a plea deal with the mastermind of the September 11 attacks. When Harris confusingly complimented Biden for “strengthening alliances,” could she have been talking about strengthening the U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia? The U.S. alliance with terrorists?

Could the plea deal with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed have been at the request of the Saudis, the Iranians, the Russians, the State Department, and the “Squad” members of Congress? These are questions Rogers needs to ask. His fellow Alabamian, the defense secretary, needs to give Americans the answers.

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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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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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