Democrat Governor Under Fire For Spending Taxpayer Money At High-End Hotels, Report Claims

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is facing criticism for spending nearly $1,700 of taxpayer dollars on luxury hotel stays, according to The Center Square.

The outlet cited records “obtained under state...

open records laws.”

The hotel stays were for ceremonial political events that the potential 2028 presidential contender attended.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro stayed at luxury hotels on taxpayer money, critics question spending https://t.co/RfrTwZlVQd

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) February 17, 2026

More from The Center Square:

On Sept. 3 and 4, 2023, Shapiro spent $1,154 for a room and meals at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh, a hotel that the American Automobile Association recognized as worth four diamonds. Fewer than 5% of all AAA-approved hotels in North America receive the rating—1,750 in all —for featuring “upscale style and amenities with the right touch of service.”

On its website, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco described itself as “your playfully unafraid answer to boutique hotels in Pittsburgh.”

On Jan. 9, 2025, Shapiro charged taxpayers $589 for a room and meals at the Conrad in downtown Washington, a hotel the AAA designated that August as worth four diamonds. The ten-story glass-panel build features floor-to-ceiling windows, white-marble bathrooms, and on the eighth floor and above, partial views of the Capitol.

“Experience modern luxury in Washington, D.C., with a stay in our exceptional guest rooms and suites,” the Conrad said on its website. Only a dozen hotels in the nation’s capital received a designation of four- or five diamonds last year, according to the AAA.com website.

The Democrat governor spoke at a parade in downtown Pittsburgh on Labor Day in 2023.

Shapiro attended the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter in Washington, D.C. in January 2025.

“From luxury hotel stays, to extensive travel on state aircraft, and a VIP tent at the US Open in Oakmont, Governor Shapiro certainly appears to be trying to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous at taxpayer expense,” a Republican state lawmaker told The Center Square.

Shapiro is widely viewed as among the top contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

“PA Gov. Josh Shapiro is using his book tour and 2026 reelection bid to expand his national donor network as 2028 looms,” POLITICO reporter Lisa Kashinsky said.

“He had a fundraiser during his book tour swing thru MA last month, attended another at Jonathan Kraft’s home last yr,” she continued.

NEW: PA Gov. Josh Shapiro is using his book tour and 2026 reelection bid to expand his national donor network as 2028 looms.

He had a fundraiser during his book tour swing thru MA last month, attended another at Jonathan Kraft’s home last yr.

w/@kellygarrity3…

— Lisa Kashinsky (@lisakashinsky) February 13, 2026

Recent polling had Shapiro in fourth place in a hypothetical Democratic primary, behind Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Pete Buttigieg.

I&I/TIPP poll | 1/27-1/29

2028 presidential primaries

Democratic Kamala Harris 38%Gavin Newsom 13%Pete Buttigieg 5%Josh Shapiro 4%Mark Kelly 3%Tim Walz 3%JB Pritzker 3%AOC 2%Gretchen Whitmer 2%Andy Beshear 2%Jon Ossoff 2%Wes Moore 1%Someone else 4%Not sure 17%…

— Politics & Poll Tracker (@PollTracker2024) February 16, 2026

Axios reported in December:

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has a plan that could give him an edge in the 2028 presidential primary: Engineer a blowout for his state’s Democrats in next year’s midterms to prove he can turn the electoral college’s biggest battleground blue again.

Shapiro has quietly and methodically tightened his grip on Pennsylvania’s Democratic machine in recent months — recruiting key congressional candidates, clearing the field for them and remaking the state party.

The moves, insiders say, are designed to maximize Democratic wins while positioning Shapiro as the party’s most electable presidential contender.

Next year’s election map gives Shapiro plenty of opportunities: He’s up for a second term and aiming to help flip as many as four congressional seats in Pennsylvania.

Shapiro needs to make a big splash if he decides to run for president, as virtually every top Democratic official in Pennsylvania expects.

He’s only at 4% now in early 2028 primary polls, despite a robust national media strategy and his considerable popularity in a must-win swing state that President Trump carried last year.

Top Democrats say Shapiro — who won his 2022 campaign for governor by double digits — is betting that a strong 2026 performance could help him stand out in a field that could include better-known contenders such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Harris.

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