In a move that has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and the media, Pennsylvania Republicans are pressing for details on a nearly $1 million security overhaul at Governor Josh Shapiro’s private residence in Abington.
The Incident That Sparked the Review
The chain of events began on April 13, when the governor and his family were asleep in the Harrisburg Governor’s Mansion when an intruder, identified as Cody Balmer, allegedly broke in, set a fire, and was later sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. The attack prompted a comprehensive security audit of both the official residence and Shapiro’s Abington home.
Subpoenas and Document Requests
On December 9, Senate Republicans issued subpoenas to the Pennsylvania State Police and Abington Township. The subpoenas sought records explaining how the security work was funded, bid, and approved. As of the latest reporting, the requested documents have not been fully delivered.
NBC10, which has been following the story, received a 150‑page packet from the governor’s office on October 30. The packet lists costs and timelines, but the information remains incomplete for lawmakers.
Legislative Questions and Oversight Concerns
Senator Tracy Pennycuick of Montgomery County, who learned of the spending from a letter sent to bipartisan leadership, stated, “The number one priority should be to make sure our governor is safe and more importantly his family is safe.” She questioned whether the million dollars were spent on “hardened improvements to the property” and called for full public disclosure of every dollar spent.
Senator Jarrett Coleman, chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, asked, “So, you’ve asked them for what they spent, when they spent it and how they spent it?” He noted that the state police and township had “stonewalled” answers to his inquiries.
Coleman highlighted key dates from the documents:
- May 8: State police declared an emergency and noted “extensive restructure is needed” at the governor’s home.
- May 29: A call was set between state police and the governor.
- June 19: A zoning application was filed to add a fence to the property.
- By July’s end: A project proposal for design and construction was sent.
- August 11: The project manager emailed that purchase orders had been submitted but were still awaiting comptroller approval.
- September 3: The first cost estimate appeared, totaling just over $925,000, including a $279,000 fence, $93,000 tree trimming, and $320,000 new landscaping.
Coleman added, “We absolutely need to know where every dollar went.”
Governor’s Response and Ethics Commission Involvement
In November, the governor’s office released a statement: “Following the assassination attempt on the Governor’s life and attack on the Governor’s Residence earlier this year, the Pennsylvania State Police and independent security experts conducted thorough reviews to pinpoint security failures, review protocols, identify gaps and make concrete recommendations for improvement to the Governor’s security.”
A letter dated September 25, more than a month after purchase orders were submitted, showed Governor Shapiro had asked the ethics commission to review the expenses. The commission determined there were no ethical issues and that the governor would not need to reimburse the state.
Coleman expressed concern that the ethics commission’s opinion was issued after the fact, noting, “To my knowledge the ethics commission would not issue an opinion after the fact.” The commission confirmed that it typically does not issue post‑event opinions, and when asked why it had in this case, it declined to comment on the confidential opinion.
Police Statement on the Fence
The Pennsylvania State Police clarified that while a fence was initially contemplated for the site, the cost of the fence was removed from the project. The fence is now being used for another PSP project at the academy.
Senate Democrats and Opposition
Senate Democrats opposed the subpoenas, arguing that the senate was overreaching and that the documents could further harm the governor and his neighbors. Senator Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties said, “He clearly is in harm’s way… How we go about investigating these things relates in also getting to the truth to the facts but also in addition how it’s handled can also wither diminish his harm or make him further exposed and that is something we need to all take much more seriously.”
Key Takeaways
- State Republicans are demanding full disclosure of a $1 million security upgrade at Gov. Shapiro’s Abington home.
- Subpoenas issued on December 9 have not yet yielded complete documents from state police or the township.
- The governor’s office claims no ethical violations, but the ethics commission’s post‑event opinion raises procedural concerns.
- The police have removed the fence cost from the project and are reallocating it elsewhere.
The debate highlights the need for clear procedures and oversight when taxpayer funds are used for personal security measures of public officials.
Closing
As the investigation continues, Pennsylvania lawmakers remain focused on ensuring transparency and accountability for the substantial security enhancements made to the governor’s private residence. The outcome of the subpoenas and ethics commission review will likely shape future protocols for protecting elected officials.
