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

The plea comes as all eyes move to who Harris will name as her presidential pick

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 her running 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.”

Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania, with Vice President Kamala Harris (Reuters)

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.

Also in the running to be Harris’ right-hand man is Arizona senator Mark Kelly, who managed to beat off ultra-Maga candidate Blake Masters for the seat in 2022.

Kelly jumped to Harris’ defense after GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump falsely claimed she “happened to turn Black” recently in front of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago on Wednesday (July 31).

Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on The Source, Kelly called Trump a “desperate and scared old man.”

“He’s afraid to debate her. He’s certainly afraid to lose an election to her in November, and he’s afraid about his own future.”

Harris has not yet responded to the NWDL’s statement, nor has she announced when she will make her choice.