Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry (Commonwealth Media Services)
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Thursday the appointment of Michelle Henry, the state’s outgoing attorney general, to serve as Pennsylvania’s next state inspector general.
Henry, whose appointment will be effective on Jan. 21, 2025, to the role, will be taking over for Inspector General Lucas M. Miller, who was appointed to the office in 2020 by then-Gov. Tom Wolf.
“I’d like to thank Inspector General Miller for his service to the commonwealth, and I’m proud to nominate Attorney General Michelle Henry to serve as Pennsylvania’s next state inspector general,” Shapiro said. “Michelle is an experienced prosecutor who has spent decades in public service protecting consumers’ rights, standing up for public safety and the rule of law, and fighting for people all across Pennsylvania.”
As inspector general, Henry will be tasked with protecting taxpayer dollars by investigating fraud, misconduct, and abuse in executive agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction.
Shapiro said he has “complete confidence in her ability to hold bad actors accountable for fraud and misconduct and root out waste and abuse.”
Henry, who has served as attorney general since Shapiro, also the former attorney general, was sworn-in as governor in 2023, said she’s honored and humbled by the trust placed in her to lead this office.
“As attorney general, I worked to root out fraud and protect Pennsylvanian taxpayers from deceptive practices – and as inspector general, I will continue to hold bad actors accountable and to protect the commonwealth from waste, fraud, and abuse,” Henry said. “Working with Governor Shapiro, we will make sure that the Office of Inspector General always has Pennsylvanians’ backs.”
Henry was among a coalition of 19 other state attorneys’ general supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s proposal to outlaw “junk fees,” charges that are mandatory but not transparently disclosed to consumers, and announcing a settlement with an energy provider for tricking consumers into signing service agreements.
Henry was formerly the Bucks County district attorney and the first deputy attorney general when Shapiro was the state’s attorney general.
While Henry was appointed by Shapiro to finish out his term as attorney general, she announced that she would not run for a full term. York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, a Republican, will be the state’s next attorney general after defeating former two- term state auditor General Eugene DePasquale, a Democrat, in November’s election.
When serving in the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Henry served as the chief of major crimes and child abuse units. She played a significant role in creating the county’s children advocacy center.
As first deputy attorney general under Shapiro, she was tasked with overseeing criminal cases, civil suits representing Pennsylvania and public protection cases fighting for the rights of Pennsylvania consumers.
Following Miller’s resignation on Jan. 2, 2025, First Deputy State Inspector General Clarke Madden will serve as Interim State Inspector General between Jan. 2 and Jan. 21, 2025 before Henry takes the oath of office.