Court Orders Pennsylvania Governor to Disclose Legal Spending

A Commonwealth Court panel has ordered Pennsylvania's governor's office to disclose details about its expenditure of public funds on private law firms, following a protracted public records battle by Spotlight PA and LNP | LancasterOnline. The administration, under both former Governor Tom Wolf and current Governor Josh Shapiro, attempted to shield this information, claiming it was privileged. The ruling requires the removal of redactions from legal records and suggests further disclosure may be necessary regarding the cases handled by these firms. Notably, it was revealed that lawyers were hired to represent unnamed witnesses in law enforcement investigations, including federal grand jury matters. Attorney Paula Knudsen Burke expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing the public's right to access governmental information. There has been no response from Shapiro's office regarding potential plans to appeal the ruling.