Pennsylvania is the most important state to win in November. Democrats are up to no good.
And now the Governor of Pennsylvania has been caught in a crazy election scandal.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has come under scrutiny for using public funds to host a training event aimed at social media influencers, as revealed by documents obtained by reporters with the Daily Caller outlet. The event, dubbed the “Democracy Summer Camp,” took place on July 25 and aimed to educate influencers on how to encourage their followers to vote and recognize misinformation online.
The day-long event, funded by Pennsylvania taxpayers, cost around $4,000, including expenses for meals and beverages. According to the reporters, the governor’s office invited 43 influencers, most of whom had a liberal political presence, with approximately 70% actively promoting Democratic views. The remaining influencers were apolitical but came from demographics that typically favor the Democratic Party, such as college students and African Americans.
During the event, Shapiro addressed the largely liberal crowd, urging them to become active participants in the political process. “We all need to get off the sidelines, get in the game, and fight for what we believe in,” he said. His comments were directed at energizing the influencers to mobilize their followers ahead of the 2024 election.
Al Schmidt, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth, provided participants with information on voting laws. Gavin Lichtenstein, Shapiro’s director of digital partnerships, also addressed the influencers, emphasizing the role they play in informing their followers about voting deadlines and procedures, including the use of drop boxes.
The event has sparked criticism, particularly from Pennsylvania State Rep. Seth Grove, who questioned the use of taxpayer dollars for what he sees as a partisan effort. “Having the governor’s office use taxpayer funds to only have Democrat social media influencers … is very, very sketchy and was a waste of taxpayer dollars,” Grove said. He further argued that the event was intended to support Democratic campaigns rather than a neutral effort to promote voter turnout.
Among the attendees were several prominent liberal influencers, including Maggie McGregor, the daughter of Democratic National Committee treasurer Virginia McGregor, and comedian Alex Pearlman, who has a large social media following and frequently criticizes Republicans. McGregor, following the event, echoed Shapiro’s call to action, encouraging her followers to develop a “voting plan” and support Democratic candidates.
Pearlman, with about 3 million followers, has been vocal in his opposition to conservative policies, and his content often targets Republican figures. Another attendee, Aaron Parnas, a pro-Ukraine influencer with over 800,000 followers, works for the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party and frequently posts about Democratic causes. Ethan Kelly and Isaiah Martin, both Democratic supporters with significant online followings, were also invited.
The presence of these influencers, many of whom are staunch Democratic supporters, has led to accusations that the event was more about promoting the Democratic agenda than encouraging unbiased voter participation. Grove voiced concerns that the event lacked transparency and that it further contributed to the spread of misinformation. “There should be a huge level of transparency around this; this is how misinformation begins,” Grove said.
“You got a Democrat administration who is angling to be high ranking in the Democratic Party, looking to be VP, asking national content creators to come to Pennsylvania and they give them what they think should be misinformation, disinformation and honest discussions about elections,” Grove added.
Adding to the controversy is the involvement of MeidasTouch and Betches News, two left-leaning media brands, which provided guidance to attendees on how to make their social media posts go viral. MeidasTouch, originally founded as an anti-Trump political action committee, has faced accusations of spreading falsehoods in the past.
As Shapiro continues to face criticism, there are calls for the governor’s campaign to reimburse the state for the event. Grove, one of the leading voices against the summer camp, said, “They know they were in the wrong, they knew they were using taxpayer funds to do an event solely for Democrats.”
“They shouldn’t have done it, they shouldn’t have used taxpayer dollars and I think Governor Shapiro’s campaign should reimburse the citizens of the commonwealth for this event,” Grove, the leading GOP member on the PA House Appropriations Committee has said about the controversy. “They know they were in the wrong, they knew they were using taxpayer funds to do an event solely for Democrats.”
Prudent Politics will keep our readers updated on any major news from this breaking story.
