Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s neighbors are suing the Democrat, accusing him of stealing a slice of their land to erect an eight-foot-high security fence around his private residence in an “outrageous abuse of power.”
The neighbors, Jeremy and Simone Mock, are currently duking it out with the governor in court over a 2,900 square foot parcel of land located between their two homes in Abington, Montgomery County, court papers show.
The Mocks alleged in a lawsuit filed last month that Shapiro and his wife, Lori, unlawfully seized the stretch of land after initial negotiations to buy it from them went up in flames.
Shapiro claimed in a countersuit that he owns the disputed land due, citing an “adverse possession” loophole that makes it his because he has maintained the sliver of property for decades.
The land-grab tit-for-tat kicked off last year when the Shapiros first sought to erect the huge fence and upgrade security following an arson attack on the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg while they were all sleeping inside on April 13.
Shapiro initially offered to pay the Mocks for the 2,900-square-foot section of land, which he for decades had believed was his, to be able to build the fence, the suit said.
The negotiations, however, fell through when the neighbors couldn’t agree on a price.
The Mocks allege that’s when Shapiro and his wife unlawfully claimed ownership of the property — even planting trees and having State Troopers stationed there.
“What followed was an outrageous abuse of power by the sitting Governor of Pennsylvania,” the Mocks’ lawsuit argues.
“To begin, the Shapiros suddenly claimed, without evidence, they owned the Mock Property through ‘adverse possession’ despite their previous acknowledgments that the Mock Property was owned by no one other than the Mocks and despite having never been awarded the Mock Property through adverse possession by a court,” the court filing states.
The law allows for an occupant to legally acquire the title of someone else’s property if they’ve occupied the area for over 21 years.
The Shapiros purchased their home in 2003 and long believed the disputed 2,900 square foot section of land was part of their property, meaning they had maintained it for more than the required 21 years, their countersuit claims.
As the issue continues to play out in court, Shapiro’s office suggested the entire saga was a political stunt.
“The Governor looks forward to a swift resolution and will not be bullied by anyone trying to score cheap political points, especially at the expense of his family’s safety and wellbeing,” his office told NBC when the dueling suits were filed.
