Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro writes in a forthcoming memoir that he was asked during Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 vice presidential vetting process whether he had ever been an agent of the Israeli government, a line of questioning he describes as offensive and troubling.
In Where We Keep the Light, set for release Jan. 27, Shapiro recounts a last-minute exchange with Dana Remus, a former White House counsel and member of Harris’ vetting team. According to excerpts first reported by The New York Times and confirmed by ABC News, Shapiro says Remus asked if he had ever served as an Israeli agent or spoken with an undercover Israeli operative.
“If they had been undercover, how the hell would I know?” Shapiro recalls responding.
Shapiro, who is Jewish and has long been vocal about both his faith and his nuanced views on Israel, writes that he understood the demands of a thorough vetting process but questioned whether the focus on Israel was unique to him.
“I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me — the only Jewish guy in the running,” Shapiro wrote.
A spokesperson for Shapiro declined further comment, saying the governor looks forward to sharing more when the book is released. ABC News has reached out to Harris and Remus for comment.
The revelation lands amid longstanding tensions within the Democratic Party over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and U.S. policy toward the region. Shapiro, once considered a top contender for Harris’ running mate, had faced scrutiny from progressives for past pro-Israel views and volunteer work in Israel, though he has said his positions evolved and now firmly support a two-state solution.
In her own memoir, 107 Days, Harris described discussing Shapiro’s past statements and political positioning during the vetting process, framing her decision against selecting him as more about temperament and ambition than policy differences.
Several Jewish officials who served in the Biden-Harris administration have criticized the alleged questions, saying they echo harmful stereotypes about divided loyalties among American Jews.
