Josh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro, the current Governor of Pennsylvania, has faced several controversies and allegations during his career in public office. In 2023, his administration faced criticism for the handling of a sexual harassment complaint against Mike Vereb, a top aide. The state quietly paid a $295,000 settlement to the complainant, and Vereb later resigned. Questions were raised regarding the timing of the administration's knowledge of the allegations and its transparency regarding the settlement. While serving as Attorney General, Shapiro’s office investigated the 2011 death of Ellen Greenberg. After initially ruling it a suicide in 2022, his office later recused itself due to the appearance of a conflict of interest, citing unverified claims of connections between his staff and the deceased's fiancé’s family. In 2017, charges in the Operation Outfoxed heroin case were dismissed following allegations that Shapiro’s office mishandled the sealing of wiretapped recordings. Regarding property disputes, Shapiro and his wife are currently defendants in a federal lawsuit filed by their neighbors concerning the installation of a security fence and the occupation of a contested strip of land. A federal judge dismissed claims against Shapiro in his official capacity as governor but allowed the private civil suit against him and his wife as individuals to proceed. Separately, Shapiro has faced criticism for the use of $1 million in taxpayer funds for security upgrades at his private residence following a 2025 arson attack on the state-owned Governor’s Residence. Additionally, Shapiro’s administration has been criticized for maintaining nondisclosure agreements for transition staff and for opaque practices regarding his official daily schedules.