The attempted firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s mansion has ignited fierce political debate, despite the fact that the attack targeted Shapiro himself. The suspect, Cody Balmer, reportedly acted out of deep antisemitic hatred toward the Jewish governor. But now, some Republicans are placing blame not on the attacker, but on Shapiro’s own party.
“My heart goes out to Governor Shapiro and his family, and we thank God that he’s fine and they’re fine,” said Pennsylvania GOP Chair Greg Rothman during an appearance on Newsmax. “But he needs to, as a member of the Democratic Party, call out this violence.”
Rothman pointed to other recent acts of political violence, including the firebombing of a Republican headquarters in New Mexico. “This has to stop, but let’s be clear: it is coming from the left,” Rothman claimed. “And it may be the hardcore left, but we have to reject it, America. We’re better than this. This is how democracies fall, when you allow violence to be part of your political differences.”
However, Rothman’s argument appears unsupported by current evidence. There is no indication that Balmer was affiliated with left-wing groups. In fact, a review of his social media shows disdain for President Joe Biden and praise for former President Donald Trump. Balmer cited Shapiro’s support for Israel as a motive for his hatred, told Newsweek.
Despite that, Rothman is not alone in trying to pin responsibility on Democrats. Republican Rep. Dan Meuser also argued that Shapiro had “created hatred” by criticizing Trump-era policies, including cuts to food aid programs.
Governor Shapiro, for his part, has called for unity and rejected political point-scoring. “This kind of violence has no place in our society, regardless of what motivates it,” he said, urging people not to speculate on the attacker’s intent. He also referenced other recent acts of violence, including the attempted assassination of President Trump and the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, to underscore the need for universal condemnation of such actions.
“This level of violence has to end,” Shapiro said, “and it has to be roundly condemned by everyone, both political parties, people from all different walks of life.” The attack may have targeted him, but in the aftermath, Shapiro finds himself defending not just his own safety—but the integrity of political discourse itself.
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