LV Congressional Candidate Bob Brooks Smears Biggest Political Supporter, Gov. Josh Shapiro

Bob Brooks has mailers and even TV ads bragging that he is Governor Josh Shapiro's pick in the four-way race for the Democratic nomination in the Pa. 07 Congressional District. But Shapiro is no doubt scratching his head about that ill-considered endorsement. As the campaign has progressed, news that Brooks has refused to pay a $130,000 judgment against him for the land and home in which he lives, has surfaced. He's been accused, in court of fraudulently conveying that property so he could duck his legal obligation. He even refused to list this matter in his congressional disclosure, which has sparked an ethics complaint. In top of this, some of his since-scrubbed Facebook posts claim that former President Obama "sucks" and embrace far-right positions associated with the three-percenter movement. I've told you he's shady, but he also appears to be a bit dumb. In a recent meeting with Lehigh University students, he actually torpedoed Shapiro, his biggest supporter.  

According to an Axios report, Brooks recently told Lehigh students that Shapiro, who would like to be President, secretly helped GOP State Treasurer Stacy Garrity's 2024 re-election race in a vindictive act against Democratic candidate Erin McClelland, who had criticized Shapiro's office over sexual harassment.  

At that time, Brooks was president of the state firefighter unions. He was asked why that union endorsed Garrity over McClelland. Brooks told students, and his exact words are recorded here, "That was a request, ironically, from Governor Josh Shapiro. ... And he said, 'I would like you guys to endorse Stacy Garrity.'"

Obviously, news like this hardly helps Shapiro's Presidential ambitions. And since Garrity is now running against him, it even hurts his bid for re-election as Governor. 

In a January interview, Katie Couric questioned  Shapiro over his loyalty to political allies. "I guess some of your fellow Democrats in the state have not been that flattering when they talk about you. One state official said, 'you don't want to turn your back on him. Loyalty is not his strong suit.' Now I need to add to that, this individual still insisted that you'd be a great president. But I wanted to give you a chance to respond. Why do you think some of your fellow Democrats apparently have some ambivalence about you? Do you think at times your ambition gets the better of you? Because that has been suggested."  

Shapiro had no real answer because he does have a tendency to stab political allies in the back. 

But then again, so does Brooks, who supported McClure and even appeared at his announcement before deciding to run against him. 

Brooks later told Axios that he misspoke, but his exact words are what they are. 

In an earlier Axios story, an unnamed Democratic lawmaker is quoted as saying, "Josh would knife his own lifelong best friend in the back if it got him one extra polling point. That is a widely held view in political circles in Pennsylvania."

It seems to me that Shapiro and Brooks were made for each other.