Pennsylvania will pay for $1M in security upgrades to Gov. Shapiro’s private home, attorney general says

A settlement agreement has been reached between the state of Pennsylvania and the contractors who provided $1 million in security upgrades to Governor Josh Shapiro’s private home in Abington Township, according to a memo released on Friday.

The Office of Attorney General said it approved the agreement “in order to pay the contractor and shield the Commonwealth from further litigation which would have likely increased the cost that would be borne by the taxpayers for this contract.”

The security upgrades were precipitated by the arson attack in Harrisburg last April and were first announced in October 2025. In November, the Pennsylvania Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee subpoenaed Pennsylvania State Police and Abington Township for more specifics regarding the upgrades, which were said to include “erecting physical and visual barriers on the property, installing enhanced security technology, and other steps”.

The memo notes that the Office of Attorney General’s approval of the funds was carried out “on a one-time basis” and “does not set a precedent for future settlement agreements of this nature.”

“Our decision on this settlement agreement is not an assessment of the need for the security upgrades or the wisdom behind them, and it did not impede the upgrades being made — the work was performed some time ago,” the memo says. “Rather, a settlement agreement focuses on the settlement of a past due contract between a contractor, who performed the work for the agency in good faith, and the Commonwealth.”

In April, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that she had declined financing the upgrades. Pennsylvania State Police had approved the use of public funds for the upgrades, but Garrity said State Police “simply ignored the statutory limits and restrictions on spending and procurement.”

According to the Attorney General’s memo, Garrity’s decision was lawful because Shapiro’s administration and Pennsylvania State Police failed to follow proper procurement processes. In a statement Friday, Garrity said the settlement makes it clear “my sworn duty is to uphold the law, protect taxpayers, and only act with explicit legal authority.”

Rosie Lapowsky, a spokesperson for Shapiro, said in a statement that the governor appreciates the attorney general’s office acting “without political interference” to approve the settlement so the contractors can be paid.

“As the Attorney General demonstrated, the safety of the governor and his family should never be weaponized for partisan gamesmanship, and our administration will continue to work with law enforcement and elected officials across the commonwealth to keep our leaders safe,” Lapowsky wrote.

More details about the decision can be found in the memo below:

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Photo: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania