April 16, 2025Matt Rourke / APIndependent expert will review security at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence after arson attackby Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PATop lawmakers say they won’t consider whether to hold hearings about the security breach until a review is complete, or are still weighing what actions to take.
April 15, 2025(Mingson Lau / AP)Man charged with arson at Pa. governor's home struggled with mental health, brother saysby Mark Scolforo of the Associated PressThe brother of 38-year-old Cody Balmer said the suspect had been treated twice at a psychiatric hospital in recent years.
April 14, 2025Marc Levy / APWhat we know about the elite Pa. State Police detail assigned to protect Gov. Josh Shapiroby Stephen Caruso, Angela Couloumbis, and Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAThe Executive Services Office has protected Pennsylvania’s governors, lieutenant governors, and their families for decades.
April 14, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesArson suspect who allegedly targeted Gov. Josh Shapiro is ‘mentally ill,’ mother saysby Stephen Caruso and Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAConversations with Cody Balmer’s neighbors and a review of public information reveal a chronically troubled man who does not seem to have a strong political ideology.
April 14, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesArson suspect told police he planned to beat Gov. Josh Shapiro with a hammer if seen in mansionby Angela Couloumbis, Stephen Caruso, Danielle Ohl, and Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PACody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was briefly inside the official residence while setting it ablaze with homemade Molotov cocktails, police said.
April 13, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPerson arrested for allegedly setting Gov. Josh Shapiro's official Harrisburg residence on fireby Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PAShapiro and his family had just hours before celebrated the first night of Passover in the Governor's Residence.
Feb. 20, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesIs Josh Shapiro keeping campaign promises? Test your politics knowledge with this quiz.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s split legislature makes it tricky for Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro to pass his priorities. Here’s a look at his progress.
Feb. 3, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesLegal weed, more money for Pa.’s poorest schools will likely be in Shapiro’s budget pitchby Stephen Caruso, Kate Huangpu, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro is expected to reuse ideas from his first two years in office that have yet to win enough support in the legislature.
Dec. 17, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesCampaign funds, secretive nonprofit pay for Josh Shapiro's sports ticketsby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAThe Democratic governor routinely accepts tickets from donors and Team PA, a little-known nonprofit. It may violate his own gift ban.
Dec. 13, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesJosh Shapiro wasn’t on the ballot this year, but still spent millions campaigning. Here’s where the money went.by Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s governor traveled extensively as a Democratic surrogate in 2024, spending money on consultants, private flights, ritzy hotels, and more.
Sept. 10, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro admin threatened with lawsuit over 'scandalous' conduct order issued amid Gaza protestsby Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe policy heightened fears among civil rights and pro-Palestinian groups that employees who express opinions that differ from Shapiro’s stance on the war could be unfairly punished.
Aug. 6, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro isn’t Kamala Harris’ pick for vice presidentby Stephen Caruso, Angela Couloumbis, Kate Huangpu, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAShapiro, a centrist Democrat, came under intense criticism during the vetting process for his positions on Israel and school vouchers.
Aug. 6, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesEverything we learned about Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro during the veepstakesby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro has been through an intense public vetting process. Here’s some of what it revealed.
Aug. 2, 2024Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PAWATCH: How school vouchers became Pa.’s messiest political fightby Spotlight PA StaffOn Aug. 8, Spotlight PA held a live panel on taxpayer-funded school vouchers, what the research says, and whether they have a future in Pennsylvania.
July 26, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesInside Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s support for private school vouchersby Stephen Caruso, Angela Couloumbis, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAShapiro, believed to be on Kamala Harris’ vice president shortlist, did not express public support for school vouchers until running for governor.
July 22, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesWho is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro? Full biography, key accomplishments, controversies & moreby Stephen Caruso, Angela Couloumbis, Kate Huangpu, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAShapiro and his family were targeted by an arsonist in April 2024, according to police.
May 14, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro orders state employees to avoid 'scandalous' conduct amid Gaza protests, raising free speech concernsby Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PALegal experts say the quiet update to the administration's code of conduct is overly subjective and could be used to curtail First Amendment rights.
May 6, 2024Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro uses Pennsylvania’s state plane much more than his predecessorby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAPennsylvania taxpayers paid $410,000 for state flights last year, the most since 2011. Shapiro took most of those flights.
May 3, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesGroup that doesn’t disclose its donors paid $12K for Shapiro to attend Phillies games, other sporting eventsby Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe secrecy leaves taxpayers in the dark about who underwrites the outings and what interests they may have in state government policy.
March 25, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesUpgrades to Pa. governor's mansion bankrolled by private group that won't disclose donors, full costby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAA pricey design firm has been hired to refurbish the Pa. Governor’s Residence, but no one will say who is managing the project, raising money for it, or paying for it.
March 22, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro’s alternative to a key climate program comes with one major catch: It needs GOP supportby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PACan Gov. Josh Shapiro satisfy environmentalists and the GOP on climate change? With a proposed carbon cap-and-trade program, he’s trying.
Feb. 16, 2024Sarah Anne Hughes / Spotlight PAShapiro wants to tax skill games. He must first navigate Pa.’s wealthy, warring gambling interests.by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PABecause skill games aren’t explicitly legal in Pennsylvania, the question of whether the games should be allowed to operate has led to State Police seizures and years of litigation over their status.
Feb. 13, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesJosh Shapiro accepted $1,650 in ‘event tickets’ from powerful Pa. lobbyistby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAThe tickets were reported as an in-kind contribution by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s campaign committee, rather than a gift.
Dec. 22, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesDespite ethics concerns, Shapiro will keep accepting tickets from a group that gets state moneyby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro’s gift ban says he can’t take tickets from groups with “financial relations with the Commonwealth.” Team Pennsylvania was awarded $1.8 million in state contracts this year.
Dec. 12, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Josh Shapiro rebuilt a bridge, weathered a messy budget, and walked fine partisan lines in 2023by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAThe Democrat, who is believed to have higher political aspirations, struggled at times to advance priorities through Harrisburg’s ideologically divided legislature.