Pennsylvania governor gets into legal fight with neighbor over security fencing

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is in a legal fight this week with his neighbors at his private residence over security fencing, which the neighbors argued in a recent lawsuit sits on their land.

Jeremy and Simone Mock filed a federal lawsuit against the governor Monday, which Shapiro and his wife Lori Shapiro countersued, with both couples claiming they own the land that the eight-foot security fence sits on.

The Mocks also alleged in the lawsuit that the governor has ordered the Pennsylvania State Police to patrol the property, and said they were ordered to leave the property "on multiple occasions," according to CBS News.

"Governor Shapiro exercised his power by virtue of state law and made possible only because he is clothed with the authority of state law," the Mocks' suit said, adding his disrespect of the land "violates clearly established constitutional rights of which a reasonable person, much less a lawyer and former Attorney General, knew or should have known."

The couple also argued that the Shapiros have planted trees and plants on the property, flown a drone over the property and "chased away the Mocks' arborist and surveyor."

Shapiro argued in his countersuit that the fencing on his Abington property has been there since before he and his wife moved to the home in 2003 and that the fence and a tree line had been treated as a dividing line for their properties until last year. 

The governor indicated that the change stems from the arson attack at the governor's mansion in Harrisburg last year, which prompted state police to make safety recommendations for their Abington residence as a result. 

Shapiro additionally claimed in his countersuit that the Mocks always thought the now-disputed area was part of his property, and never previously claimed to own it, and asked the judge to declare him and his wife as the "legal and equitable owners" of the area in question and establish updated boundary lines between the two properties.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.