Washington insiders are banking on Vice President Kamala Harris selecting Pennsylvania Gov. Joshua Shapiro to be her running mate, a prospect that has women’s rights groups up in arms about his sordid past.

The Daily Beast reported that the National Women’s Defense League on Thursday issued a missive to its members titled “Gov. Shapiro’s Failures Enabled Sexual Harassment” which lays out in damning detail the allegations against the Democratic executive regarding his “handling of past complaints of sexual harassment inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s office.” Advocates are calling on the vice president to lock Shapiro out of the running one year after he quietly agreed to a six-figure settlement with a former aide who alleged she faced sexual harassment inside his office. The deal involved a non-disclosure agreement, a stipulation that other Democrats have said stifles the ability of victims to speak out for fear of legal retribution.

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“Governor Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing sexual harassment happening in his own office by former cabinet secretary Mike Vereb, 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,” Emma Davidson Tribbs, director of the National Women’s Defense League said. “We deserve leaders who will not brush sexual harassment under the rug, but will put accountability above politics. We need leaders who prioritize effective policies, protocols and a culture that prevents sexual harassment and protects survivors.” She added if Gov. Shapiro “really wants this to be full and transparent,” then he should allow the woman to speak freely about the ordeal.

The governor’s office responded though declined to include details about why his former aide was paid $300,000 for her troubles. “Governor Shapiro and his Administration take every allegation of discrimination and harassment extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to thoroughly investigate all reports,” his spokesperson Manuel Bonder stated. He directed reporters to focus on the governor’s “long track record of protecting survivors and prosecuting predators” when he was attorney general, including exposing “child sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church.”

“Those procedures are implemented in every instance where complaints of discrimination or harassment are made and all allegations are promptly and fully investigated to ensure employees feel comfortable to report misconduct. In order to protect the privacy of every current and former Commonwealth employee involved, the Administration does not comment further on specific personnel matters.”

As a popular swing-state Democrat, Gov. Shapiro fits the mold of a potential running mate in a critical state where former President Donald Trump’s populist policies and pro-fracking stance have cut into Democrats’ traditional blue-collar base of voters. However, the sexual harassment scandal has led other state Democrats to question whether he would be a smart addition to the vice president’s ticket. One Democrat running for state treasurer previously suggested that Harris select someone who “doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug.”

Other landmines around Shapiro require Harris’s consideration. He was previously investigated for accepting several luxurious seats at sporting events, a potential violation of the state’s ban on gifts to elected officials. Meanwhile, progressive anti-Israel activists have leveled antisemitic attacks at the Jewish governor, suggesting his selection would unfairly elevate pro-Israel policies in a potential Harris-Shaprio administration. Others believed to be on Harris’s shortlist include red state Gov. Andy Beshear and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has been floated as part of the mix, but recently Harris fundraisers asked Wall Street supporters to make quick donations ahead of a potential limit on federal donations to a ticket that includes a sitting state official.

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