Cody Balmer, the suspect charged with setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, was allegedly motivated by anger at Gov. Josh Shapiro‘s (D-PA) position on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Balmer, 38, allegedly had plans to beat the governor with a sledgehammer if he found him. He called 911 shortly after the arson attack, telling the operator he “will not take part in [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” according to a police affidavit obtained by PennLive.
Cpl. Benjamin Forsythe of the Pennsylvania State Police wrote in the affidavit that Balmer targeted Shapiro “based upon perceived injustices to the people of Palestine,” the outlet reported.
FOR JOSH SHAPIRO, THE ARSON ATTACK WAS PERSONAL
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Pennsylvania State Police.
Balmer is alleged to have smashed the windows of the governor’s mansion and hurled Molotov cocktails inside. The blaze destroyed much of the interior, though police evacuated Shapiro and his family before anyone was hurt.
“Balmer admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” another police affidavit said.
Shapiro’s stance on Israel has made him the subject of controversy over the past year, particularly after he was eyed as a possible running mate for former Vice President Kamala Harris. In an opinion article written as a college student, the governor said he volunteered for the Israel Defense Forces and that Palestinians were “too battle-minded” to coexist with Israel. He backtracked on the comments in a press conference last year, saying his opinions on the topic had evolved since he was 20.
“I have said for years, years before Oct. 7, that I favor a two-state solution — Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny,” he told reporters.
After the arson attack, Shapiro released a statement referencing his Jewish faith.
“When we were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover and the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt to freedom,” Shapiro said. “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”
He also hosted a second Passover Seder following the attack.
TRUMP CALLS ARSON SUSPECT IN SHAPIRO HOME FIRE A ‘WHACK JOB’
The attack against Shapiro drew condemnations across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump called the attacker a “whack job.”
“But the attacker was not a fan of Trump. I understand just from what I read and from what I’ve been told,” Trump told reporters Monday in the Oval Office. “The attacker basically wasn’t a fan of anybody. It’s probably just a whack job. And certainly, a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”