Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro secretly supported a Republican state treasurer's reelection campaign in retaliation against her Democratic opponent who had criticized him as a potential vice presidential pick, according to remarks made by a close Shapiro associate.
Bob Brooks, a Shapiro-backed House candidate and president of Pennsylvania's firefighters union, disclosed the allegation Wednesday during remarks to a group of Democratic college students at Lehigh University. His comments were recorded and confirmed by an attendee at the gathering.
Brooks said Shapiro requested that his union endorse Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity over Democrat Erin McClelland in the 2024 state treasurer race. The move came after McClelland had publicly questioned Shapiro's suitability as a running mate for Kamala Harris during the vice presidential vetting process that summer.
"That was a request, ironically, from Gov. Josh Shapiro because Erin McClelland was running against her," Brooks told the students, according to the recording. "Josh Shapiro had requested because Stacy, er, Erin McClelland came out hard about something on Josh Shapiro, and really, the Democratic Party as a whole turned on Erin McClelland."
McClelland had posted publicly in July 2024 that she wanted a vice presidential pick "secure enough to be second under a woman" and one that would not "sweep sexual harassment under the rug." Her final point referenced Shapiro's former top aide, Mike Vereb, who faced sexual harassment accusations in 2023. Vereb remained in his position for months after a complaint was filed, and Shapiro's administration later settled with his accuser for $295,000.
Helping a Republican over a Democrat in response to personal criticism represents a potential political liability. Political observers note it could undermine Shapiro if he pursues a 2028 presidential bid, and it reinforces a narrative that he can be vindictive and willing to abandon party allies when offended.
Within hours of the recording surfacing, Brooks walked back his statement. "I misspoke and made an inaccurate comment," he said in a statement. "Many people in our party were upset with McClelland's bad-faith attacks against our governor. The governor did not ask my union to make any endorsements."
Shapiro's spokesman Manuel Bonder called Brooks' account "inaccurate" and said the governor had made no such request. "The governor did not ask Bob Brooks to make any endorsements in that race," Bonder stated. Neither Shapiro nor Brooks agreed to interviews.
A spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association added that McClelland had not applied for the union's endorsement in 2024, undercutting the premise of Brooks' original claim.
Despite the denials, the episode highlights Shapiro's use of hardball political tactics. Harris' vetting team had received complaints about Shapiro from Pennsylvania Democrats as it considered him for the vice presidency. Harris ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Shapiro later wrote in his memoir that he withdrew himself from consideration late in the process.
Garrity, the Republican Shapiro's union reportedly backed, won her reelection bid in 2024. In an unexpected turn, she is now challenging Shapiro for the Pennsylvania governorship this year. The state Democratic Party has labeled her an "election denier" with a "MAGA agenda," citing her appearance at a Capitol rally on January 5, 2021, calling for decertification of Pennsylvania's 2020 election results, and her 2022 statement at a Trump rally that "we know that he won."
Shapiro holds a commanding double-digit lead in polling and maintains a massive fundraising advantage heading into the gubernatorial race.
Author James Rodriguez: "The nature of the retraction matters here. Brooks' original account sounded specific and damning, complete with direct quotes. A full walk-back suggests either he misspoke badly or felt pressure to recant, and voters deserve clarity on which it was."
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