Women’s group urges Harris to consider Shapiro handling of sexual harassment complaint against aide
Gov. Josh Shapiro during a campaign event for President Joe Biden at Montgomery County Community College January 5, 2024 in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
As speculation around Gov. Josh Shapiro’s chances of becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate continued to build Wednesday, a national nonpartisan organization focused on preventing sexual harassment in state government said the governor had failed to prevent sexual harassment in his office.
“Governor Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing sexual harassment happening in his own office by former cabinet secretary Mike Vereb, including protecting the survivor who bravely came forward, ensuring that any other potential survivors felt safe in speaking up, and ensuring the harasser didn’t have the opportunity to do further harm after the complaint,” Emma Davidson Tribbs, director of the National Women’s Defense League, said in a statement.
Davidson Tribbs said as Democrats and the Harris campaign consider vice presidential candidates, “we urge them to consider the handling of past complaints of sexual harassment inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s office. The American people deserve to know that, if called to a higher office, Governor Shapiro will do more to ensure the safety and dignity of employees, volunteers and constituents in his office.”
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Shapiro’s office paid $295,000 in public money to settle a female employee’s complaint that Vereb, a longtime ally and top aide to Shapiro made improper, lewd and sexually charged remarks and that the administration’s handling of the situation forced her out of her job.
Vereb resigned abruptly on Sept. 27 shortly before the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the details of a complaint the woman had filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in May 2023.
The settlement resolved the PHRC case and required the woman to discontinue a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Under terms of the agreement, the governor’s office did not admit liability, and she agreed to waive future employment with the governor’s office, but she would be permitted to work as a lobbyist to the office.
The settlement includes a non-disclosure agreement that bars each side from discussing the terms.
The Capital-Star is not naming the woman because of the nature of the allegations. She told the Capital-Star on Wednesday that she is solely focused on what happens moving forward for other women in Harrisburg, which she notes will need Shapiro’s leadership.
“There is a large package of bills waiting to be discussed and ironed out that have been introduced by both chambers. But this package is quite substantive and hits multiple angles,” she said. “I am most interested in ensuring third independent, unbiased parties are involved in investigations, which is being championed by Senators [Kim] Ward and [Maria] Collett, a true bipartisan effort of women.”
She added she hopes to see “unity across the Capitol as these bills come forward in the fall session for the women and even men in Harrisburg. I have yet to hear Shapiro’s thoughts on these bills but I look forward to seeing him lean in and protect the women of Pa.”
Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said in a statement to the Capital-Star that the governor and his administration “take every allegation of discrimination and harassment extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to thoroughly investigate all reports. Those procedures are implemented in every instance where complaints of discrimination or harassment are made and all allegations are promptly and fully investigated to ensure employees feel comfortable to report misconduct. In order to protect the privacy of every current and former Commonwealth employee involved, the Administration does not comment further on specific personnel matters.”
Bonder added that Shapiro has a track record of “protecting survivors and prosecuting predators,” pointing to his record as state attorney general. “He exposed decades of child sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church and put those who abused children behind bars. As Governor, he has repeatedly called on the Senate to send him a bill – which has already passed the House – to provide victims of sexual abuse with an opportunity to achieve justice and accountability.
When the bills were introduced, Bonder said in a statement that Shapiro supports accountability and transparency measures in every branch of government, adding the administration was encouraged that legislators were including themselves in that accountability.
Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong) has been a vocal critic of how Shapiro’s office handled the allegations against Vereb, and told the Capital-Star that it’s had a chilling effect on women who work at the Capitol.
“Women are scared because even though this Vereb victim got a payout, she lost her job,” Major said. Women who work at the Capitol may rely on lawmakers for their employment, she noted and be unwilling to come forward if they think they might lose their jobs. “Women are afraid to come forward, and it has fed into this culture that is the status quo in Pennsylvania.”
The package of bills aimed at addressing harassment in the Capitol were introduced late last year. They include:
HR 276: A resolution to amend the House Ethical Conduct Rules to add “non-verbal acts” to the definition of sexual harassment, add a prohibition on members accused of sexual harassment from engaging in House-related services or duties, allow a person to appeal their complaint, and increase transparency to the number of complaints filed before the Ethics Committee.
HB 1901: Amend the PennWATCH Act to include information on each settlement paid to an individual or employee
HB 1902: Amend the Right-to-Know Law to redact the name of a sexual harassment or assault victim from a settlement agreement before it’s publicly released
HB 1906: Enshrine federal non-disclosure agreement law into state law, prohibiting the enforcement of pre-employment non-disclosure agreements and non-disparagement agreements, as well as voiding agreements in place prior to a dispute arising
HB 1948: Create a framework allowing the Commonwealth to seek reimbursement from individuals whose actions result in settlements of judgments paid by the Commonwealth.
None of the bills has advanced out of committee. Major said she is not optimistic that they ever will because the appetite for such legislation does not exist in Harrisburg. But she said if and when other women come forward, she will offer support, regardless of whether they’re making accusations against a Democrat or a Republican.
According to a 2019 Joint State Government Commission survey of legislative, judicial, executive, and independent state agencies, sexual harassment claims had cost taxpayers $1.9 million.
The National Women’s Defense League released a report last fall on sexual harassment in state government, and found it to be a “pervasive and ongoing” problem.
The report found at least 130 state lawmakers accused of sexual harassment by 359 individuals over the past decade. There appeared to be little accountability for harassing behavior: Nearly 60% of lawmakers attempt to remain in office immediately after an accusation and in 55% of the incidents identified, no official action was taken against the accused official.
Nearly 90% of accused lawmakers are reelected. Five lawmakers had been accused of sexual harassment in Pennsyvlania since 2013, the report found, with little effort to change the system and fix the problem.
“We deserve leaders who will not brush sexual harassment under the rug, but will put accountability above politics,” Davidson Tribbs said Wednesday. “We need leaders who prioritize effective policies, protocols and a culture that prevents sexual harassment and protects survivors.”
Peter Hall of the Capital-Star staff contributed reporting
This article was updated at 7:33 p.m. July 31, 2024 with comment from Gov. Shapiro’s spokesperson, and on Aug. 1, 2024 to include a previous statement about the package of bills introduced.
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