Pennsylvanias Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, is facing renewed scrutiny from fiscal conservatives after billing taxpayers nearly $1,700 for three nights in upscale hotels tied to ceremonial political appearances.
According to Just The News, records obtained by The Center Square through Pennsylvanias open-records law show that Shapiro charged the public for luxury accommodations in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., while attending a Labor Day parade and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.
The expenditures, though not at the priciest hotels in either city, still placed the governor in high-end properties whose nightly rates would likely have been lower outside of peak or special-event periods.
For critics already wary of Shapiros national ambitions and spending habits, the charges have become another data point in what they view as a pattern of disregard for taxpayers.
The hotel bills stem from two events that were more ceremonial than official in nature, raising questions among Republicans about whether such lavish arrangements were necessary. Shapiro spoke at an annual Labor Day parade in downtown Pittsburgh in 2023 and later traveled to Washington, D.C., in January 2025 to attend Carters funeral at the National Cathedral, both occasions that could have been handled, they argue, with more modest accommodations.
One of the governors most persistent critics, Republican State Senator Jarrett Coleman, framed the trips as emblematic of a broader problem with Shapiros approach to public money. From luxury hotel stays, to extensive travel on state aircraft, and a VIP tent at the US Open in Oakmont, Governor Shapiro certainly appears to be trying to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous at taxpayer expense, Coleman said in a statement to The Center Square.
A spokesperson for Shapiro did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the hotel expenditures or the broader criticism of his travel practices. The silence from the governors office has only fueled Republican concerns that the administration is unwilling to justify its spending choices to the public footing the bill.
On Sept. 3 and 4, 2023, Shapiro spent $1,154 for a room and meals at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in downtown Pittsburgh, a property that the American Automobile Association has awarded its four-diamond rating. Fewer than 5% of all AAA-approved hotels in North America receive that designation1,750 in totalfor featuring upscale style and amenities with the right touch of service.
The Kimpton Hotel Monaco markets itself in language that underscores its boutique, high-end character rather than any sense of frugality. On its website, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco described itself as your playfully unafraid answer to boutique hotels in Pittsburgh.
Shapiros Washington stay was similarly plush, with taxpayers charged $589 for a room and meals at the Conrad in downtown D.C. on Jan. 9, 2025. The Conrad, which AAA also designated as a four-diamond hotel in August of that year, is a ten-story glass-panel building featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, white-marble bathrooms, and, on higher floors, partial views of the U.S. Capitol.
The hotels own promotional language leaves little doubt that it caters to a luxury clientele rather than budget-minded travelers.
Experience modern luxury in Washington, D.C., with a stay in our exceptional guest rooms and suites, the Conrad said on its website.
Only a dozen hotels in the nations capital received a four- or five-diamond designation last year, according to the AAA.com website, placing Shapiros choice firmly in the top tier of available options.
For a governor who presents himself as a champion of working families, conservatives argue that such choices send a conflicting message about shared sacrifice and responsible stewardship of public funds.
Shapiro, 52, is widely viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a likely contender for the 2028 presidential nomination.
He was even a finalist to be the vice-presidential pick for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in the summer of 2024, though he ultimately withdrew his name from consideration.
Back home in Pennsylvania, Shapiro currently enjoys a 60% approval rating, according to a Morning Consult poll released on Feb. 3, a figure that has so far insulated him from some of the criticism over his spending. He is seeking a second term as governor this fall, with Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garity expected to be his general-election opponent and likely to make fiscal discipline a central theme of her campaign.
As The Center Square reported, Republican lawmakers and conservative watchdogs have accused Shapiro of presiding over a rapid expansion of state spending. The annual state budget, excluding federal funds, has grown from $45.2 billion in 2023 to a proposed $51.5 billion this year, a 13.5% increase over four years that alarms fiscal conservatives.
While Shapiro has not raised broad-based sales or income tax rates, he has repeatedly sought to expand the states tax base through new levies. His latest budget proposal calls for legalizing recreational marijuana for adults and taxing its sale, as well as imposing taxes on online skill games such as poker and backgammon offered at gas stations and liquor stores.
Hes a spend first but push the consequences off to the future type of politician, Nathan Benefield, chief policy officer at the Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative-leaning think tank, said in an interview with The Center Square. For groups like the Commonwealth Foundation, the luxury hotel stays are of a piece with a governing philosophy that prioritizes new programs and revenue streams over restraint and long-term fiscal health.
Coleman has also raised concerns about Shapiros request for $1.1 million in taxpayer funds to secure his family home in the Philadelphia suburbs, including $290,000 earmarked for landscaping and groundskeeping. In addition, Shapiro has asked for $32 million to upgrade security at the governors mansion after part of the residence was set on fire in a shocking security breach.
On April 13, 38-year-old Cody Balmer broke into the governors mansion in Harrisburg and set part of the house ablaze, an attack that led to his conviction and a 25-to-50-year prison sentence for arson and attempted murder. Even acknowledging the legitimate need for security after such an incident, Republicans argue that the scale of the requested spending again reflects a tendency toward excess rather than prudence.
Shapiros personal spending patterns on the trips themselves present a mixed picture, with some details suggesting modesty and others underscoring the broader concerns. At both the Kimpton Monaco and the Conrad, he dined in his room, ordering an oatmeal breakfast with pecans, toast, and a large pot of coffee for $56.38 in Washington, and a soup-and-salad meal with a soda for $30.75 in Pittsburgh.
Yet the Pittsburgh trip also involved the use of a state-chartered King Air 350-I aircraft, on which Shapiro traveled with four state employees. Two of them, Britain Weyant and Daniel Zampogna from the Department of General Services, served as digital specialists, while Amanda Warren, director of external affairs, and Molly Stieber, director of operations, represented the governors office.
The Center Square has filed a request under Pennsylvanias right-to-know law to determine whether Weyant, Zampogna, Warren, and Stieber also stayed at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco during the Pittsburgh trip. Those records have not yet been released, leaving open questions about the full cost of the governors entourage and whether additional luxury expenses were charged to taxpayers beyond the $1,700 already documented.
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