Attorney general authorizes payment for security upgrades to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General approved a settlement agreement that will pay the contractor who worked on the security upgrades at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s private residence.

At the request of Pennsylvania State Police, Shapiro’s home in Montgomery County received over $1 million in security upgrades. The official governor’s residence in Harrisburg also received $32 million in upgrades.

These upgrades were made after the Harrisburg residence was fire-bombed in April 2025 while Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro were in the residence.

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Attorney General Dave Sunday said his office approved the settlement agreement to “shield the Commonwealth from further litigation” that could’ve further increased costs for taxpayers.

“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 attorney general’s office said in a statement. “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.”

Sunday added that he believes “a legislative appropriation would have been the quickest and cleanest solution.” He also suggested legislators look to change the law to address similar issues for future elected officials.

Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican who is running against Shapiro in the 2026 gubernatorial race, has pledged to protect taxpayers from having to front the bill.

“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,” Garrity said in a statement. “Safety and security matter to everyone, but good intentions can never excuse ignoring the law.”