From Bo Snerdly:
Neighbors sue Dem governor, say he stole their land squatter-style for a private fence after he refused to sell
It turns out that being neighbors with Pennsylvania’s governor might not be the quiet suburban dream you’d expect.
Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania and a frequently mentioned name in early chatter about the 2028 presidential race, is now locked in a bitter property dispute with the couple living next door to his home in Abington Township. At the center of the fight: a slice of land and an eight-foot security fence.
The issue itself isn’t unusual. Politicians—especially high-profile ones—often install extra security around their homes. The problem, according to the neighbors, is where the fence is going. Jeremy and Simone Mock say the governor’s barrier cuts right across land that belongs to them.
The contested parcel is roughly 2,900 square feet and lies between the Shapiro and Mock properties in Montgomery County. According to court filings, the governor initially tried to handle the matter the straightforward way. First, he attempted to buy the land. That effort failed when the two sides couldn’t settle on a price. Next, the Shapiros proposed leasing the land instead. That idea also fell apart.
Now there’s a suit and counter suit: According to the filing, the Shapiros began asserting ownership of the strip of property after negotiations collapsed. The complaint claims they even planted trees on the parcel and had members of the Pennsylvania State Police positioned there.
Critics argue that using a squatter-style legal provision to secure land for a private security project—while having state police present—creates troubling optics about power and privilege.
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