Lawmakers subpoena information about security improvements at Shapiro’s home

An effort to subpoena the Shapiro administration and local officials for information related to security improvements at the governor’s private residence sparked a contentious debate in the state Capitol over whether a state Senate committee has the authority to issue investigative subpoenas.

The Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to issue three subpoenas for information about security improvements made to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s private residence in Montgomery County, as well as information about Shapiro’s use of a private plane. The subpoenas come less than a year after an arsonist attempted to kill the governor and his family in an attack at the official Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. 

Republicans defended the move to subpoena information, arguing that both the state constitution and the Senate’s operating rules allow for the committee to issue subpoenas. 

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, a Republican who represents parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties, didn’t discount the need to keep Shapiro and his family safe, but said the subpoenas were needed to ensure transparency. According to Coleman, $32 million in upgrades have been made to the Harrisburg-based residence since the April 2025 attack, with an additional $1 million spent to make security upgrades to the governor’s Montgomery County home. 

“No one disputes that the governor should have reasonable and appropriate protection,” Coleman, the chair of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, said in committee on Tuesday. 

“This is about setting a precedent,” he added in a statement following the committee meeting. “No administration – Republican or Democrat – should be allowed to operate in the shadows when public funds are involved. Are we just going to give every future governor a blank check to spend on security without any oversight?”

Democrats on the panel said the committee’s move to issue subpoenas strays far afield of its legislative responsibilities. 

“We’re not the Office of Inspector General, nor the Auditor General nor the Attorney General … We are not detectives,” said Philadelphia state Sen. Christine Tartaglione, the minority chair of the committee. Tartaglione said legislative committees should have a legislative focus, not an investigatory one. “What we are doing here today is not our function.”

State Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa concurred, characterizing the subpoenas as “nothing more than a fishing expedition.”

The committee voted to authorize three separate subpoenas, requesting the following information: 

• From the Pennsylvania State Police: A copy of the May 2025 Independent Security Assessment of the governor’s residences; contracts, invoices and communications related to construction and security work at the governor’s private home and a neighboring property; body camera footage from State Police officers on the properties between Sept. 20, 2025, and Nov. 19, 2025.

• From Abington Township: Permits, applications and zoning hearing transcripts related to work at the governor’s personal property; communication records related to work undertaken at the property.

• From Let’s Go Air, Inc.: Passenger manifests, itineraries and TSA screening confirmations for charter flights taken between Jan. 14, 2025, and Jan. 16, 2025, as well as booking records and communications between Let’s Go Air and commonwealth officials.

The Senate Governmental Operations Committee previously issued subpoenas as part of an investigation into the state’s 2020 and 2021 election results. State Sen. Cris Dush, a Republican who represents Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, Mckean and Potter counties, and previously led the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, also defended the committee’s ability to issue subpoenas, noting that the subpoenas will help lawmakers draft related legislation.

Will Simons, a spokesperson for Shapiro, said the administration made security improvements to Shapiro’s residences after reviews by the Pennsylvania State Police and private security experts identified security failures and made recommendations to improve the Shapiro family’s safety. 

“The Shapiro Administration has repeatedly responded to lawmakers’ inquiries on this matter and publicly released a substantial amount of information about the security improvements put in place by PSP without compromising those security protocols,” Simons said Tuesday in a statement. 

The subpoenas were authorized just hours before Shapiro is set to participate in a discussion on political violence with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who has similarly spoken out against political violence following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah in September.

Simons accused Coleman of making political attacks against the governor and disregarding the safety of Shapiro and his family.

“While Governor Shapiro is speaking about political violence alongside the Republican Governor of Utah, Senator Coleman is once again showing clear disregard for the Governor and his family’s safety,” Simons added in his statement, “leveling partisan attacks through the press instead of working in good faith to protect the Governor and future governors while carefully stewarding taxpayer dollars.”