John Fetterman relays concerns to Kamala Harris’ team about selecting Gov Josh Shapiro for running mate

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has expressed concerns about the potential selection of his state's governor, Josh Shapiro, as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.

Three individuals familiar with the discussions have confirmed that Sen Fetterman's advisors have conveyed these reservations to VP Harris' team in private, according to Politico.

Fetterman's team has indicated to Kamala Harris' advisors that the 54-year-old senator believes Governor Shapiro is overly focused on his personal ambitions.

Fetterman's doubts regarding Shapiro stem from a longstanding rivalry between the two ambitious Keystone State Democrats, both of whom have ascended on parallel paths in a politically pivotal state.

The fact that Fetterman's representatives have shared his concerns with Harris's team highlights the intense scrutiny being placed on the party’s potential vice-presidential picks and the significant impact that this decision could make in shaping the Democratic Party for years to come.

While Shapiro has emerged as a leading candidate on Harris' shortlist for possible running mates, the Vice President is meeting with several potential candidates this weekend and is set to host a rally with her running mate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, August 6.

What did John Fetterman’s representatives relay to Kamala Harris’ team regarding Josh Shapiro?

Representatives of John Fetterman told Kamala Harris’ aides that one of the main disagreements between the two men occurred while they were both serving on Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons, as the three aforementioned unnamed sources explained.

Fetterman aimed to rejuvenate the institution and offer second chances to certain convicts.

On the other hand, Shapiro often took a stricter stance, arguing that while he supported criminal justice reform, the commutations process was not the appropriate avenue for "structural" changes.

Fetterman and Shapiro particularly clashed over the case of Lee and Dennis Horton, brothers who were convicted in a fatal shooting and robbery in 1993 but maintained their innocence for decades.

As Harris makes her decision within a tight span of time, both supporters and critics of Shapiro have been fiercely lobbying to influence the vice president's selection. Backers and opponents of other potential running mate candidates have joined the lobbying efforts as well.

Many Pennsylvania Democrats, including Sen Bob Casey, have publicly endorsed Shapiro for vice president, while Fetterman has remained notably silent on the matter in public.

In recent behind-the-scenes discussions, Fetterman's team conveyed his "full-on, enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris," according to one source familiar with the conversations.

This person explained that Fetterman's advisors provided their "unvarnished assessment" of the 51-year-old Democrat governor without taking “policy differences or other public baggage” into account.

Shapiro’s spokesperson Will Simons defended the governor's record on the Board of Pardons.

“The governor evaluates every pardons case individually and on its merits and during his time as attorney general, he approved more pardons and commutations than all of his predecessors over the last 25 years, combined,” Simons said. “He is proud of his record of delivering meaningful criminal justice reform while making Pennsylvania communities safer.”

Kevin Munoz, a spokesperson for Harris, chose not to provide any comments on the discussions and instead referred to a previous statement in which it was mentioned that “Vice President Harris has directed her team to begin the process of vetting potential running mates” and that the “process has begun in earnest and we do not expect to have additional updates until the Vice President announces who will be serving as her running mate.”

The history between John Fetterman and Governor Josh Shapiro

The longstanding rivalry between John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro goes back several years to when Fetterman was the lieutenant governor and widely seen as a prominent figure on the left. Shapiro was an upcoming attorney general solidifying his credentials as a prosecutor. Both men were known to have aspirations for higher offices.

In December 2019, the Board of Pardons considered the freedom of Lee and Dennis Horton. The brothers were regarded as model prisoners within the prison and even their prison superintendent supported their release.

Their requests for clemency were rejected by a vote of 2-3, with Shapiro against and Fetterman in favor. Shapiro expressed frustration at the missing court documents in the case.

Following this, Fetterman indicated to The Philadelphia Inquirer that “the trajectory of my career in public service will be determined by their freedom or lack thereof,” hinting at a possible challenge to Shapiro for governor in 2022.

When the Horton brothers’ clemency was reconsidered in December 2020, the board supported it, this time with then-attorney general Josh Shapiro in favor of their release.

His spokesperson at the time mentioned that Shapiro wanted to interview the two men separately and review the missing files.

Fetterman saw this incident as an instance of Shapiro prioritizing his political future over what he believed was the right thing to do.

Shapiro stated at the time that his decisions on the Pardons Board were not influenced by politics and that he believed there were “deep and problematic structural issues within our justice system”  but “you can’t solve those deep structural issues by a commutation process, because we’re forced to look at these cases on an individual basis.”

Recently, Gov Shapiro was asked by The Philadelphia Inquirer whether he ever gave more importance to political ambition over personal relationships, to which he responded, "I recognize that at this moment, in probably every moment in my life, folks are judging me from the outside. And that’s fine.”

“It's part of the business. I’m most comfortable with every decision I made that it’s always been about service,” he added.

Shapiro is among the candidates being considered for the Democratic Party’s running mate, along with Minnesota Gov Tim Walz, Arizona Sen Mark Kelly, and Kentucky Gov Andy Beshear, who have all met with Vice President Kamala Harris' vetting team.

Shapiro's supporters have been actively vocal in their endorsement in the past few days, with prominent elected officials and labor leaders in Pennsylvania publicly supporting him for vice president at a rally and on social media.

His backers include Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, former Rep Bob Brady, and various unions. According to CNN, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden has noted that the Commander-in-Chief is a "big fan" of Shapiro and finds Walz "a blast."

Simultaneously, Shapiro has faced criticism from his opponents, particularly from the left. His staunch support of Israel has angered pro-Palestinian activists, and his advocacy for school vouchers has caused discontent among teachers' unions. The Pennsylvania governor has also come under scrutiny for his handling of alleged sexual harassment by one of his former top aides.

Internet split as John Fetterman relays his concerns to Kamala Harris about selecting Josh Shapiro

People online shared their thoughts and opinions on the Keystone State senator conveying his reservations to Kamala Harris' aides on selecting his own state's Democratic governor as VP for the upcoming presidential election.

One X user remarked, "Literally everyone is coming for Shapiro lol."

Another user said, "So, his main criticism is that he feels Shapiro was TOO tough on crime? You're fucking kidding me, right? That's an ASSET in a general election. Fact is Fetterman and Shapiro have always hated each other. Not a surprise he's trying to tank Shapiro being VP."

Another user claimed, "Fetterman Is more progressive and an advocate for criminal justice reform. Shapiro is a law enforcement guy because he's a prosecutor. I'm a big fan of both of them for different reasons. Some conflict in their views shouldn't be unexpected. It doesn't mean they are adversaries."

One user argued, "Okay, I think it’s fair to question whether having two prosecutors on the ticket is wise."

Another X user quipped, "Feels like a Shakespearen-level betrayal? They’re from the same state lol."

Someone else tweeted, "Shapiro looks down on Palestinians. Has otherized them for years. He has no moral compass regarding the Middle East. His long-time connections to the IDF make him a giant NO for me. He does not advocate for a 2-State solution and NEVER EVER speaks to the atrocities in Gaza."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.