Commonwealth Foundation Launches Website Exposing Governor Shapiro’s Shady Activities

Harrisburg, Pa., October 9, 2023 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation launched a new webpage dedicated to exposing the myriad of shady actions that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has engaged in during his first nine months in office.

The site, found here, launched on the heels of the governor’s recent decision to circumvent the law and undermine the Pennsylvania Constitution by shortchanging the state’s Rainy Day Fund by nearly $500 million.

The webpage serves as a comprehensive resource for Pennsylvania citizens, shedding light on examples of Shapiro and his administration operating in secrecy, engaging in questionable practices, or failing to be transparent with the public. Examples include:

• Shapiro required his transition and inauguration teams to sign nondisclosure agreements, barring them from publicly discussing their activities.
• Unlike his predecessors, Shapiro refused to disclose donors to the nonprofit organizations set up for his inauguration party and transition team.
• Shapiro exploited loopholes in campaign finance laws, using campaign funds to attend a sold-out Sixers game with one of his largest campaign donors, without disclosing the cost of the tickets or who paid for them.
• Unlike his Democrat predecessor, Tom Wolf, Shapiro does not make his daily calendar available to the public.
• After campaigning on more education options for families, Shapiro line-item vetoed Lifeline Scholarships, known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS), a program he pledged to support and a top budget priority of the state Senate, creating a months-long budget stalemate.

SpotlightShapiro.com aims to empower citizens to become informed and take action. It encourages voters to get involved, voice their concerns about transparency and accountability, and express their thoughts by contacting the governor directly.

“Pennsylvanians deserve a government that operates with transparency and accountability,” said Nathan Benefield, the senior vice president at the Commonwealth Foundation. “The Spotlight Shapiro website is a tool for citizens to hold their governor accountable.”

Visit SpotlightShapiro.com to access research, learn more about Shapiro’s actions, and take action to address concerns about his transparency and governance.

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The Commonwealth Foundation turns free-market ideas into public policies, fostering prosperity for all Pennsylvanians.