Governor Josh Shapiro (D) is now asserting that he was unaware of accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment against his Secretary of Legislative Affairs, Mike Vereb, until months after the events occurred in 2023.
This revelation, shared by Shapiro’s spokesperson with the New York Times, raises questions about the governor’s awareness and response, especially since Shapiro had previously met with female state senators to assure them that his office took workplace sexual harassment seriously.
Two Republican state senators expressed disbelief at Shapiro’s claim, finding it hard to accept. Requests for comments from several concerned female Democratic senators went unanswered.
The allegations date back to early in Shapiro’s administration, from February to early March 2023. A young woman working in the Governor’s Office of Legislative Affairs, led by Vereb, resigned abruptly on March 7.
She later detailed her accusations in an eleven-page statement, alleging Vereb’s controlling and aggressive behavior, including sexually explicit remarks. This statement formed the basis of a complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
The extended period between the accuser’s departure and Vereb’s resignation raised questions about Shapiro’s belief in Vereb over the accuser and his willingness to keep Vereb on staff despite potential liabilities.
Shapiro’s spokesperson, Manuel Bonder, stated, “The governor was not aware of the complaint or investigation until months after the complaint was filed.” Bonder added that Shapiro has now ordered immediate notification of any complaints against senior staff or cabinet members.
However, the timeline and details from various sources cast doubt on Shapiro’s new account. According to the accuser, she reported Vereb’s behavior on March 6 to her superior and the governor’s director of administration.
An email regarding her resignation and “internal personnel matters” was circulated on March 7, involving the Executive Deputy Chief of Staff Larry Halisham. This involvement would typically place the matter close to the governor.
The accuser filed her complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on May 26, 2023, which should have triggered the governor’s notice. Additionally, a $295,000 settlement between the accuser and Shapiro’s administration was finalized on September 5, 2023, indicating Shapiro’s potential awareness by that time, as part of the settlement funds came from the governor’s office budget.
Despite this, Vereb remained in his position for weeks after the settlement. Broad + Liberty contacted several Democratic senators and their press secretary for comments, especially those who had previously discussed the matter with Shapiro, but received no responses.
Senate President Pro Tem Kim Ward (Westmoreland) criticized Shapiro’s claim of ignorance, highlighting that two cabinet-level secretaries, including Vereb and Akbar Hossain (Shapiro’s Secretary of Policy and Planning), were implicated. Ward pointed out that Hossain remains in his role despite allegations.
Ward stated, “It is unimaginable that Gov. Josh Shapiro had no knowledge of the sexual harassment incidents taking place in his own office. 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.”
These developments highlight concerns about Shapiro’s handling of the allegations and the broader implications for his administration’s approach to workplace harassment.