Women’s group urges Harris not to pick Shapiro for VP over handling of sexual harassment complaint

A nonpartisan organization dedicated to preventing sexual harassment in the workplace and protecting survivors has called for Vice President Kamala Harris not to name Josh Shapiro as herrunning mate for the 2024 presidential election, after claiming the governor of Pennsylvania failed to prevent sexual harassment in his office.

Emma Davidson Tibbs, director of the National Women’s Defense League, said in a statement: “Governor Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing sexual harassment happening in his own office by former cabinet secretary Mike Vereb.”

She continued, “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.”

Vereb, a top aide, and close ally to Shapiro, resigned abruptly in September 2023, three weeks after Shapiro’s administration quietly agreed to pay a settlement of $295,000, after an office employee accused Vereb of repeatedly making sexual advances toward her, as well as making inappropriate remarks about her, other members of staff and a female state senator.

The plea from the NWDL comes as all eyes move to who Harris will name as her presidential pick, which she is expected to do by Tuesday (July 6) when she will hold her first rally.

Due to take place in Pennsylvania, Harris has fuelled speculation that she will tap Shapiro as her running mate, and also suggests that her campaign has made the state, which the Democrats won back from the Republicans in 2020, a priority.

The potential 19 electoral votes if Shapiro were able to deliver Pennsylvania would be a major pickup for the Harris campaign.

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