Shapiro’s Concerns Over Kamala Harris Vetting

Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, has raised eyebrows with his claims about the vetting process for former Vice President Kamala Harris as a possible running mate for the 2024 elections. In his memoir, Where We Protect the Light, he mentions that his staff probed his stances on Israel, and this scrutiny seemed particularly pointed, given that he is Jewish.

Shapiro recalled a moment during the vetting where he was asked, “Was I an Israeli double agent?” This question struck him as quite offensive due to its anti-Semitic implications. When he highlighted this concern, the vetting team responded, “Well, you have to ask.”

One question came from Dana Remus, former White House Counsel, who asked whether Shapiro had ever interacted with an Israeli undercover agent. His response was, “If they were working undercover, how would I know?”

While Shapiro didn’t blame Remus for doing her job, he noted that the questions indicated quite a bit about the attitudes of those around the vice president.

In response to these revelations, a spokesperson for Remus and Harris didn’t comment on the specifics raised by Shapiro. The New York Times noted that Shapiro faced skepticism while he criticized anti-Semitism on college campuses amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. He pointed out that during a conversation with Harris, she questioned whether he would apologize for his remarks regarding events at the University of Pennsylvania. He made it clear he had no plans to do so.

“I believe in free speech and will defend it as best as I can,” he stated, recognizing that while many campus speeches were peaceful and protected under the Constitution, not all were. He also questioned whether these inquiries were unique to him as the only Jewish candidate in the mix or if others faced similar scrutiny.

Even though Shapiro acknowledged the review team’s professionalism, he admitted that the situation made him quite uneasy.

This isn’t the first instance where Shapiro has critiqued Harris’s handling of the vetting process. Reports from last December highlighted his accusations that her team had peddled “blatant lies” about him and his memoir. He expressed frustration over how she dominated their discussion during the interview for the vice presidential position.

“It’s complete nonsense. Her reasoning is just a flat-out lie,” he stated in an interview. He also mentioned specific topics discussed during their conversation, like the size of Harris’s residence and potential art loans to the mansion.

Shapiro made an off-the-cuff remark about Harris trying to cover up the situation by promoting her books, which he later retracted, saying, “I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t think that’s right. She is trying to sell books, plain and simple.”