By Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA |
HARRISBURG — A nonprofit that does not publicly disclose its donors paid more than $12,000 last year for Gov. Josh Shapiro to attend sporting events. The secrecy leaves taxpayers in the dark about who underwrites the outings and what interests they may have in state government policy.
The money also raises questions about whether the Democrat is violating his ban on accepting gifts.
Shapiro reported receiving $12,194.62 from Team PA for “transportation, lodging or hospitality” on his newly filed statement of financial interest. The Harrisburg-based nonprofit bills itself as a public-private partnership to bolster Pennsylvania’s economic development; its “investors” include a cross-section of the state’s top business industries, according to an annual report.
On the form, Shapiro did not describe what Team PA paid for, writing only: “The governor in his official capacity attended various events for the benefit of the Commonwealth to promote Pennsylvania and its economic interests.”
In an email, Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said Team PA paid for the Democratic governor to attend six sporting events: the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona and games played by the Harrisburg Senators, Penn State’s football team, Philadelphia Phillies, and Philadelphia Union.
Bonder added that Shapiro was often invited to these games by the teams, and used the time to greet fans, cheer the teams on, and network with business or legislative leaders who were also in attendance.
The money for those tickets came from a little-known fund that Team PA manages called Pennsylvania Growth Partnership, which accepts donations exclusively to promote the governor — and by extension, the commonwealth and its economic health — on a national and international stage.
It’s not publicly known which individuals, groups, or businesses have donated to the growth partnership fund. Nonprofits are required to file detailed annual reports to the Internal Revenue Service that list, among other things, revenue and expense totals. But they aren’t required to make the names of their donors public.
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