Running for second term, AG Shapiro talks issues facing Pennsylvania

WILKES-BARRE — State Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Wednesday said his office is “unafraid of the big fights,” citing successful battles with Facebook, Google, Navient, Uber and the Roman Catholic Church.

Shapiro, 46, met with the Times Leader Editorial Board to review his office’s record over the last three years and to talk about issues that he faces today.

Shapiro, a Democrat, recently announced that he is seeking a second four-year term this year. He has also been rumored to be interested in running for governor, but he declined to comment on his future beyond 2020.

“When I ran the first time, I said we’d take on the big fights, defend the rule of law, and stand up to special interests trying to take advantage of Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said. “And together, we’ve done just that.”

Shapiro, a former Montgomery County commissioner and state lawmaker, was elected in 2016, defeating Republican John Rafferty. He gained nationwide attention for the investigation of clergy sexual abuse of children in Pennsylvania dioceses.

“We exposed this wrongdoing,” Shapiro said. “And the investigation is ongoing. There are lots of jurisdictions doing lots of work. I’d say we are in the third or fourth inning.”

Shapiro released a report following a scathing grand jury investigation that found 300 members of the clergy sexually abused more than 1,000 children. After much debate in Harrisburg, lawmakers approved changes to state law eliminating the statute of limitations for criminal cases of child sexual abuse and raising the age for civil suits. The Pennsylvania investigation spurred criminal charges and new laws in other states.

Shapiro said he was inspired by the survivors of the abuse, calling them “brave.” He also praised parishioners for demanding change in the Church.

“We documented the truth,” Shapiro said. “And that was recognized by (Pope Francis) himself.”

Opioid crisis

Shapiro talked about the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania — noting that he has sued drug manufacturers, accusing them of making enormous profits of addictions.

Shapiro offered some statistics:

• 129 tons of drugs confiscated in drug takebacks.

• Five drug dealers per day are arrested.

• 548 prescription drug fraud arrests — a 61% increase.

• Nine distributors and manufacturers under investigation.

In October, Shapiro spoke to the AllOne Foundation on the opioid crisis.

“The opioid epidemic is the No. 1 killer in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “Every day, 15 Pennsylvanians die from an opioid overdose, and this health crisis doesn’t discriminate. We have to recognize the path between the pills doctors prescribe and the cheap bag of fentanyl found in the streets. And we have to be vigilant as we act to tackle this problem.”

Shapiro said he has established a partnership with the AllOne Foundation to help stop “this serious problem,”

In 2018 alone, more than 4,400 people died from drug overdoses in Pennsylvania. AllOne Foundation is working to save lives and reduce the economic, social, and criminal justice costs of the opioid epidemic.

“We must get these poisons out of our counties,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro said four out of every five heroin users begin with prescription drug abuse. He has advocated the state’s Drug Takeback Program that safely disposes of unused and unneeded prescription drugs.

“A kid who goes to the dentist doesn’t need 60 tablets of Percocet,” Shapiro said. “People need to get their prescriptions, but we have to education doctors about overprescribing.”

Gun control

Shapiro said he believes in the Second Amendment, but insists that guns must be taken out of the hands of criminals.

“We have to enforce the laws that are on the books,” he said. “And we have to tighten up some laws, like universal background checks. Some on the other side want to vilify me, but we have to keep automatic assault weapons away from criminals.”

Shapiro said his office has seized some 1,116 “crime guns,” arrested 319 child predators and 60 other public corruption arrests.

Office rebuild

Shapiro said he has rebuilt the AG’s office, starting with the hiring of the agency’s first chief integrity officer. He said there has been a 39% increase in referrals and for every $1 budgeted to his office, “we return $10.”

Shapiro said his office continues to stand up for consumers, going after student debt issues, consumer complaints/scams, advocating for senior citizens.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, endorsed Shapiro’s reelection effort.

”Over the last three years, Josh has been a fierce advocate for Pennsylvanians,” Casey said. “He’s taken on big pharmaceutical companies, stood up for survivors of sexual abuse, rooted out corruption, fought for criminal justice reform, and worked to get illegal guns off of our streets.“