Governor Josh Shapiro, a leading contender for Kamala Harris' Vice Presidential selection, is embroiled in a controversy over alleged conflict of interest.
The contention is that his office may have been offering legal counsel to a man under their investigation. A recent report by Broad + Liberty, based on a document they procured, suggests that Shapiro's office might have been advising Mike Vereb, the then-Secretary of Legislative Affairs, while concurrently probing him over workplace harassment allegations lodged by a subordinate in March 2023.
According to The Post Millennial, this could represent a significant conflict of interest, casting doubt on the sincerity of Shapiro's office's investigation. The dual role of investigator and advisor in a case of abuse allegations is inherently contradictory, inevitably compromising the effectiveness of one or both roles. Vereb stepped down from his post in September 2023, a move reportedly tied to the harassment allegations made months earlier by a female deputy in his office who resigned after a mere month. The harassment and sexual assault allegations were eventually settled out of court for $295,000.
Broad + Liberty's attempts to secure documents revealing the purported conflict of interest were largely rebuffed by Shapiro's office, prompting them to appeal to the Office of Open Records. In response, the governor's office generated an exemption log for many of the documents it sought to withhold. Further requests for documents have been fruitless, fueling speculation that records of the investigation may not exist. The governor's open records officer informed Broad + Liberty, "If such investigation occurred, those records exist and are exempt if no such investigation occurred, no such records exist."
Western Pennsylvania Representative Abby Major (R) expressed skepticism about the investigation's existence. "It would not be any surprise to me to find out there was zero investigation done," she said. "I have said from the beginning that if the [accusing] documents hadnt been leaked that [the governors office] would have paid the settlement, had [the accuser] sign the non-disclosure agreement, and Mike Vereb would still be working in that office."
In defense of Shapiro, his spokesperson Manuel Bonder stated, "[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.
Through that process, every investigation is conducted independently from the Governors Office. Your assumptions to the contrary are false and unfounded." Shapiro himself, when questioned, pointed out that Vereb was no longer part of his administration. However, it's worth noting that Vereb remained in Harrisburg for six months following the emergence of the allegations.
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