In race for state AG, Shapiro leads in cash
Montgomery County Commission Chairman Josh Shapiro holds a healthy fundraising lead in this year's race to become Pennsylvania's next attorney general.
And that led to a bit of sniping Tuesday between Shapiro's campaign and that of a rival Democrat, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr.
Shapiro, who was sworn in for his second term as county commissioner in January, raised $2 million so far this year and had $1.8 million in the bank as of last week, according to a campaign finance report filed Tuesday. He moved $1.2 million into his campaign from the political action committee he used to run for the county post.
Zappala finished second in the fundraising race for the year's first reporting period, which ended March 7. He had $501,900 at the start of the year, raised another $611,390 and had $1 million in the bank as of last week.
Zappala reported the most debts of any candidate - $246,300. He loaned his own campaign $200,000 on the last day of the reporting period; Lt. Gov. Mike Stack III loaned it $21,300 on March 1. Zappala's uncle, Charles Zappala, loaned the campaign $25,000 two days later. And Zappala's father, retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Zappala Sr., donated $25,000.
Zappala's campaign, in a statement, said it "kept pace with that of our nearest competitor, who had nearly $1.5 million banked even before his campaign started." Without naming Shapiro, the statement accused him of using his post to raise money from people doing business with Montgomery County.
Shapiro's campaign slapped back with a statement accusing Zappala of "grasping at straws in the face of Josh Shapiro's strong position."
Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, the third Democrat in the April 26 primary race, started the year with $511,973, raised $118,290 since then and ended the period with $607,224 in the bank.
The state Democratic Party has not endorsed anyone in the race.
The Republicans trail significantly in resources.
State Sen. John Rafferty of Eagleville, who has the state GOP's backing, started the year with $33,178, raised $171,915 and had $141,819 on hand. Joe Peters, a former prosecutor who worked briefly for the current attorney general, Democrat Kathleen Kane, raised $5,135 this year, giving himself $800 and loaning $1,000 as well. He had $3,206 on hand as of last week. His campaign also was loaned $2,500 by his father, former Scranton Mayor Eugene Peters.
Kane announced in February that she would not seek a second term. She is awaiting trial in Montgomery County on perjury and other charges, accused of leaking secret grand-jury materials to the Philadelphia Daily News.
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@ByChrisBrennan
