By Ryan FoleyChristian Post Reporter Monday, August 05, 2024

A women's group is calling on Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election, not to choose Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate because of concerns about how he has handled sexual assault claims that have surfaced in his office.

Harris is expected to reveal his vice presidential pick no later than Tuesday. Shapiro is widely seen as one of the best to secure a spot on the Democratic presidential ticket.

The Women's National Defense Leaguewhich describes itself as “a nonpartisan organization dedicated to preventing sexual harassment and protecting survivors,” published statement on Facebook last week expressing concern about the possibility that Harris could pick Shapiro.

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“The American people deserve to know that when called to higher office, Governor Josh Shapiro will do more to ensure the safety and dignity of employees, volunteers and constituents in his office,” the NWDL stated. “As the Harris campaign and the Democratic Party consider their choices for vice presidential candidates, we urge them to consider the handling of past sexual harassment complaints in the Pennsylvania governor's office.”

The NWDL specifically cited “sexual harassment occurring in [Shapiro’s] Cabinet Secretary Mike Vereb's own office,” claiming the office “should have done a better job preventing” it from happening in the first place.

Examples of actions it wished Shapiro's office had taken included “protecting the survivor who bravely came forward, making sure all other potential survivors felt safe to speak up, and making sure the bully didn't have the opportunity to do further harm after the complaint .”

“Our research indicates that there is rarely just one survivor in cases like this,” the group added. “When it comes to sexual harassment, silence is not golden — it's a red flag. Often it indicates that others may not feel safe or supported to present their truth. NWDL acknowledges potential silent survivors and we stand with those who choose not to share their experiences publicly.”

According to the band, “[s]Ex-sex harassment is particularly rampant in our government and political workplaces, and we need leaders who will challenge the harmful status quo.”

“We deserve leaders who will not sweep sexual harassment under the rug, but will put accountability above politics. We need leaders who prioritize effective policies, protocols and culture that prevent sexual harassment and protect survivors,” they added.

The subject of the sexual harassment complaint, Mike Vereb, served as legislative affairs secretary from the beginning of the Shapiro administration in early 2023 until late September of that year.

A statement of the governor's office last September announced that Vereb was resigning and praised the former Republican state representative for “six years of securing funding for law enforcement and improving school safety in the Office of the Attorney General and the critical first year of our Administration receiving historic, bipartisan budget across the finish line.”

Shapiro's chief of staff, Dana Fritz, described Vereb as “an essential member of our team,” adding that they “wish Mike all the best and we are grateful for his service.” The statement did not mention any allegations of sexual harassment against Vereb.

A a report of Spotlight PA details how an unnamed former co-worker filed a complaint in May 2023 alleging that Vereb made inappropriate, lewd and sexually suggestive comments to her and that the state retaliated against her when she raised questions about her image. Subsequent reporting reveals that the governor's office released a $295,000 settlement with the survivor that also requires staff to undergo sexual harassment training.

The governor's office has a politics in place requiring that the Equal Opportunities Officer of a particular agency where alleged acts of sexual harassment may have occurred conduct an investigation upon receiving a complaint that includes interviews with the complainant, alleged offender and any witnesses. Implemented in 2012, the policy predates Shapiro's tenure as governor.

Shapiro is seen as an attractive contender for the vice presidential nomination because he is governor of a critical swing state that has 19 electoral votes. The RealClearPolitics average of polls taken from Pennsylvania voters show Harris trailing former President Donald Trump, her Republican opponent, by 1.8 percentage points.

However, criticism of Shapiro extends beyond concerns about his office's handling of the sexual assault claim. Michael Moore, a progressive filmmaker and activist, warned that Harris' choice of Shapiro, an observant Jew and strong supporter of Israel, could cost her support in the swing state of Michigan. In Understack poster published last week, Moore complained that “Shapiro said it was 'anti-Semitic' for anyone to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.”

Moore identified Shapiro's position on Israel as well as his comments about college students protesting as behaviors that will “diminish the Arab-American vote for Harris and depress a large swath of the youth vote all over the country,” noting that “Michigan has one of the largest . Arab American populations in the nation.”

Michigan has 15 electoral college votes and the RealClearPolitics average of polls taken there show Harris leading Trump by 2 percentage points.