HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday approved a settlement agreement on a “one-time basis” to pay contractors approximately $1 million for security upgrades at the private home of Gov. Josh Shapiro.
That approval came with a caveat in that the Office of Attorney General said that Treasurer Stacy Garrity acted within state law to deny payment, and that the OAG’s approval “will not serve as precedent” moving forward.
The disputed funds are owed to three contractors who completed upgrades at Shapiro’s home in Montgomery County following the arson attack in April 2025 that caused extensive damage to the official Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. About another $30 million was spent to fix damages and upgrade security at the state-owned home under emergency contracts.
The deputy attorneys general who issued the response to the Pennsylvania State Police and the Office of General Counsel said the state Legislature should find a solution for potential future requests as acts of political violence against elected officials are “likely to recur.”
“We share a grave concern for the personal safety of public officials and their families. At the same time, our role under the Commonwealth Attorneys Act is to assess the legality of public contracts rather than their wisdom. In this case, the dilemma created by these expenditures is that there was an absence of proper procurement procedures, yet the contractors performed the work in good faith and deserve to be paid. Accordingly, we will approve the settlement agreements on a one-time basis,” the OAG memo states.
Cody Balmer, 39, of Harrisburg, was sentenced to serve 25 to 50 years after pleading guilty to attempted murder, terrorism and related charges for firebombing the Official Residence with Molotov cocktails in an overnight attack. The Shapiro family, guests and staff at the state home all escaped without physical harm. They were celebrating Passover the evening prior.
Shapiro and his immediate family split their time between the state home and their personal home. State police recommended the upgrades at the private residence, which have since been completed. A legal dispute still pending in court developed with one of Shapiro’s neighbor concerning property lines and the installation of a security fence.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican challenging Shapiro in the 2026 gubernatorial election, denied payment for the upgrades to the private residence, finding that state law on procurement procedures doesn’t allow for tax dollars to be spent on private property. Such an expense should have been cleared through the legislative process, she has said previously, which is the position taken by the OAG.
“Current procurement law does not account for the increasing reality of threats to public officers and their families. Because the law does not allow for public funding of construction on private residences, the Treasurer had no legal option other than to deny payment,” the OAG memo states. “The only way for the Commonwealth to lawfully pay the contractors for their work was by direct appropriation by the legislature, or, as the Treasurer’s statement recognized, by an agreement, such as those presented here, to settle the debt incurred without resort to litigation.”
The decision to deny payment was a legal one, not a political one, Garrity said in May. In a statement last week, she said the OAG’s review affirmed she followed the law.
Sunday, a Republican, has endorsed Garrity in her pursuit to defeat Shapiro in his bid for a second four-year term as governor.
“The Attorney General’s letter to the Shapiro administration makes it clear — and I’ve emphasized repeatedly — my sworn duty is to uphold the law, protect taxpayers, and only act with explicit legal authority, today’s settlement agreement confirms I did exactly that. This issue was triggered by the administration’s failure to follow proper contracting procedures, causing uncertainty and risking litigation,” she said.
“We have not yet received the request to pay or the settlement agreement. After I receive those documents, I’ll carefully review each one and pay the requisition if it is lawful and correct. Safety and security matter to everyone, but good intentions can never excuse ignoring the law.”
A spokesperson for Shapiro expressed gratitude to the OAG for performing its duty in reviewing the settlement request “without political interference.” Rosie Lapowsky would not say whether the payment request or the settlement documents have since been provided to the Treasurer’s Office.
“We appreciate the Office of Attorney General following its obligation under the law, without political interference, by approving this settlement agreement and ensuring these contractors will be paid for the work they have already completed under the direction of the Pennsylvania State Police,” Lapowsky said. “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.”