HARRISBURG, Pa. – A senior adviser to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro who swiftly resigned this week have been accused previous this yr of sexual harassment through a coworker who stated his habits compelled her to surrender her process within the governor’s place of business.
Mike Vereb, who served as Shapiro’s secretary of legislative affairs till his resignation on Wednesday, was once accused within the girl’s grievance to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission of subjecting her to lewd, misogynistic and undesirable sexual advances throughout her temporary stint running within the governor’s management.
Vereb did not right away reply to a message left on his cell phone Thursday.
A former state lawmaker, Vereb labored intently with Shapiro when he was once legal professional normal. After the Democrat gained the governor’s post, Verb assumed the function of shepherding the governor’s schedule in the course of the politically divided Legislature.
In a remark dated March 31 to the state Office of Administration, the girl stated Vereb informed her that “If you and I decided to enter into a sexual relationship it would be our business” and that he additionally informed her to put on lower-cut tops and skirts with shorter slits.
Shapiro’s spokesperson, Manuel Bonder, stated in an emailed remark that he would now not touch upon a selected body of workers topic. But he stated the state takes “allegations of discrimination and harassment seriously” and there are procedures to examine such claims.
The girl’s attorney, Chuck Pascal, stated Thursday he was once now not ready to “confirm the contents or authenticity of any alleged complaint, draft complaint or written statement” from her. “We also cannot at this time confirm the existence of any settlement, agreement, or other resolution of this matter.” Bonder declined to remark at the life of any agreement.
The girl was once introduced a place within the governor’s management in regards to the time Shapiro was once taking place of business in January and resigned in March after she introduced forth issues over Vereb’s habits, in accordance to her fee grievance. She stated the governor’s place of business didn’t treatment the location or give protection to her from retaliation.
In the remark to the Office of Administration, the girl wrote that she was once afraid of Vereb.
“I am scared of what he will do, the rumors he will spread, I am scared for my professional career,” she stated. “I am putting this all on the line because I am fearful that he will do this to someone else.”
State Rep. Abby Major, a Republican from Armstrong County, stated the girl supplied her with the interview and grievance a number of months in the past, at a time once they have been speaking day-to-day in regards to the topic.
“She lost her livelihood,” Major said, noting rumors were being spread about it. “So I’m sure it was very difficult to try to continue working in this atmosphere and in the sphere of politics where some of the people at the very top are working against you.”
Vereb, a Republican, is a former Montgomery County police officer who was elected to the state Legislature in 2007 and served five terms. He served alongside Shapiro when he also was a Montgomery county state representative. In 2017, Vereb went to work for the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General under Shapiro.
The governor’s office announced Vereb’s resignation on Wednesday and appointed TJ Yablonski to the role, starting Monday.
Shapiro has not issued any public comment on his departure. In a statement Wednesday announcing Vereb’s resignation, Shapiro’s chief of staff, Dana Fritz, credited Vereb for work on the state budget and called him a “key member of a team.”