Gov. Josh Shapiro met privately with female senators as questions swirl about sexual harassment allegations against a top aide

HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro met privately with all eight of Pennsylvania’s Democratic female state senators Wednesday, as questions continued to swirl about his silence on the sudden resignation last week of a top aide who had been accused of sexual harassment.

The lawmakers — some of whom had questioned Shapiro’s handling of the allegations lodged against Mike Vereb, his top liaison to the General Assembly — declined to comment after the meeting. Some left the hour-long, closed-door meeting visibly frustrated, and one senator later said she still had “unanswered questions”.

A spokesperson for Shapiro declined to describe what was discussed or the tenor of the conversation.

The meeting came nearly a week after Vereb, a former Republican state representative and one of Shapiro’s closest allies in Harrisburg, abruptly gave up his cabinet post and as the governor has avoided publicly discussing the reasons for his departure, citing it as a personnel matter.

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny), who also attended the meeting Wednesday, requested the conversation with Shapiro so the female senators could air their concerns directly with the governor. The minority leader’s spokesperson said Shapiro responded to their questions to the extent that he could due to the sensitivity of the matter.

“It’s important for employees to trust that these matters will be handled confidentially and professionally, and we are confident the administration follows the robust procedures laid out,” Costa’s spokesperson said.

Costa’s spokesperson initially said that by “we” the minority leader was speaking collectively for Senate Democrats but later revised that statement, saying Costa was speaking only for himself.

Most of the other senators in the meeting Wednesday declined to comment.

Sen. Lindsey M. Williams (D., Allegheny), however, said she has “unanswered questions about the process that was followed once the victim came forward.”

“It’s important to me that everyone who works in the Capitol feels safe, secure, and heard in their workplace and I will continue to work toward that goal,” Williams said.

During the meeting Wednesday in the governor’s office, the former administration staffer who filed the harassment allegations against Vereb earlier this year sat quietly on a marble bench outside. So did Rep. Abby Major (R., Armstrong), who went public with sexual harassment allegations against another lawmaker earlier this year and has been a confidant to Vereb’s accuser.

Documents obtained by The Inquirer last week revealed that Vereb, who had served as Shapiro’s secretary of legislative affairs since January, was accused in March of sexually harassing the staffer, who briefly worked in his office until resigning her position that month.

The woman, whose name The Inquirer is withholding because of the nature of her allegations, told investigators with the state Office of Equal Employment Opportunity that Vereb made repeated sexual advances toward her and spoke openly — and often lewdly — about her, other staff members, and even a female state senator.

She reiterated many of those allegations in a separate complaint filed in June with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

It remains unclear when Shapiro became aware of the allegations and how far her complaints progressed through the investigative processes of the EEO and the commission, both of which probe discrimination and harassment complaints involving public sector employees.

Vereb has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the matter, and his accuser has declined to comment.

In recent days, Shapiro’s silence has drawn criticism from female lawmakers, primarily from the GOP, including Senate President Pro Tempore Kim L. Ward (R., Westmoreland) as well as Sens. Tracy Pennycuick (R., Montgomery), Judy Ward (R., Blair), and Kristin Phillips-Hill (R., York.).

But most female lawmakers from Shapiro’s own party — including some of those who met with him Wednesday — have largely been reluctant to discuss the matter.

Those who attended Wednesday’s meeting included state Sens. Christine M. Tartaglione (D., Philadelphia), Katie Muth (D., Montgomery), Maria Collett (D., Montgomery), Amanda M. Cappelletti (D., Montgomery), Carolyn Comitta (D., Chester), Judith L. Schwank (D., Berks), and Lisa M. Boscola (D., Lehigh).

Shapiro has not made any public appearances in Pennsylvania since news of the sexual harassment allegations against Vereb broke, except for a stop in New Hampshire over the weekend to headline the important presidential primary state’s annual Democratic Party convention.

A news release from Shapiro’s administration announcing Vereb’s resignation last week made no mention of the sexual harassment claim and did not include any direct statement from the governor. Instead, it featured remarks from Shapiro’s chief of staff, Dana Fritz, who described Vereb as “a key member of our team.”

Since then, the governor and his communications staff have largely declined to answer questions from reporters, describing Vereb’s departure and the harassment claim lodged against him as a private personnel matter.

A spokesperson for Shapiro has said that the administration “takes allegations of discrimination and harassment seriously.”