‘That was a request’: Audio catches a Josh Shapiro ally admitting the Pennsylvania governor backed a Republican to punish a critic from his own party

An ally of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has been caught on audio admitting that Shapiro secretly backed a Republican candidate in the 2024 election as revenge against a Democrat who criticized him. The claim was made by Bob Brooks, a candidate endorsed by Shapiro, during a meeting with Democratic college students at Lehigh University.

The admission was captured in a 50-second audio clip obtained and published by Axios. In the clip, Brooks revealed that Shapiro had asked the Pennsylvania firefighters union to endorse Republican Stacy Garrity over Democrat Erin McClelland in the 2024 election. According to Axios, Brooks later tried to walk back his statement, saying he “misspoke and made an inaccurate statement.”

The alleged retaliation was reportedly triggered by a social media post from McClelland, in which she wrote: “I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug. I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC.”

Shapiro’s hardball response to internal party criticism raises serious concerns about his leadership

The post was widely seen as a dig at Shapiro, who had faced accusations of mishandling a sexual harassment complaint against his former top aide, Mike Vereb. Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Sharif Street defended Shapiro after McClelland’s post went public, saying he was “offended” by it and called it “deeply offensive” to suggest Shapiro was not fit to be vice president. 

His comments drew pushback from some party members, who felt he was too quick to defend the governor without properly addressing McClelland’s concerns about the sexual harassment complaint. McClelland’s post had been made in July 2024, when Shapiro was being considered as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris. 

The post sparked a wider debate within the Democratic Party about Shapiro’s record and how he handled the sexual harassment complaint involving Vereb. This kind of internal party conflict is not new in American politics. A Florida Republican congresswoman separately made headlines for claiming the Butler assassination attempt was an inside job, showing how explosive political accusations have become across both parties.

As Axios noted, Brooks’ admission feeds into a broader narrative that Shapiro can be vindictive and takes criticism too personally. The idea that a sitting Democratic governor may have worked to help a Republican win a statewide office, just to punish someone within his own party, is a serious charge. That remains true regardless of Brooks’ attempt to retract the statement, since the audio recording speaks for itself.

The audio raises real questions about how Shapiro uses his political influence, particularly when it comes to settling scores within his own party. Using union endorsements as a political weapon against fellow Democrats is a significant move, and one that many party members are unlikely to overlook.

With Pennsylvania being a critical battleground state, any visible sign of division within the Democratic Party could have serious consequences going forward. The story has put a sharp spotlight on the tensions brewing inside the party and on Shapiro’s leadership style.

Some now see it as more focused on political revenge than on keeping the party united ahead of future elections.  On the Republican side, the party is dealing with its own internal dysfunction, as GOP efforts to secure ICE funding have been collapsing under the weight of too many conflicting demands.