Gov. Shapiro talks about arson attack in ‘Good Morning America’ interview
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In an interview with “Good Morning America” on Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the rise of politically motivated threats in the wake of the attempted homicide and arson attack April 13 at the Governor’s Residence.
“It’s real,” Shapiro told co-host George Stephanopoulos. “I mean, this is sadly a real part of our society today, and it needs to be universally condemned.
“I don’t care if it’s coming from the left, from the right. I don’t care if it’s coming from someone who you voted for or someone who you didn’t vote for, someone on your team or someone on the other team.”
The governor’s home was the target of an arson attack Sunday.
Shapiro became emotional talking about the guests who were at the residence to celebrate a Passover Seder.
“Three of our four kids were here,” he recalled. “The other one was in college. … We had our family, we had, um — I get emotional just thinking about it. … We had guests from the community, from across Pennsylvania. It was just a really beautiful night.”
He said they ended the evening and went upstairs around midnight and got into bed about 1 a.m.
The attack happened about an hour later.
The suspect, Cody Balmer, told 911 operators that “Shapiro needs to know he will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” according to the search warrant written by police.
Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg was denied bail Monday as he faces charges of attempted homicide, terrorism and arson. He did not enter a plea to the charges.
He told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he had encountered him, according to police reports.
“This is sadly a real part of our society today,” Shapiro said, as he gave a tour of the charred rooms in the home.
Shapiro said Balmer lay in wait and tripped a security sensor, which prompted response by state troopers. Balmer then walked through the home’s rose garden before smashing windows and tossing in explosives.
“There were clearly security failures,” Shapiro said, adding that a consultant will be called in to review operations.
Shapiro has heard from political leaders across the country, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi. However, he said he has yet to hear from President Donald Trump.
“I think every single leader has a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity and condemn this kind of violence,” Shapiro said.
“Immediately following the assassination attempt on the former president, now president, in Butler, Pennsylvania, I condemned that in the strongest of terms. When the assassin who killed the U.S. healthcare CEO was caught in Altoona, Pennsylvania, I immediately went there and condemned that kind of violence in clear terms.
“And I think it’s also important when you’re not dealing with a traumatic event in Butler, in Altoona, or here in Harrisburg, to be leading every day in a way that like brings people together and doesn’t just continually divide us,” Shapiro said.
A joint statement from former governors and first ladies of Pennsylvania was issued Friday.
In it, officials that include Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf, and Gov. Tom Corbett and First Lady Susan Corbett, joined in saying the violent attack “shook each of us to our cores.
“First, we worried for our friends Josh and Lori, and wanted to ensure their family, the state troopers who protect them, and the residence staff who maintain the home were safe,” the statement read. “Second, we worried about the residence itself and the significant damage that had been done to the home we all love. And third, we were devastated to see this type of political violence. It is essential that we all work to reduce the rhetoric and name-calling that has become far too prevalent in today’s public discourse.”
The letter was also signed by former governors Ed Rendell, Mark Schweiker and Tom Ridge and former first ladies Midge Rendell, Kathy Schweiker, Michele Ridge and Ginny Thornburgh.
The Governor’s Residence is “the people’s house” and welcomes people from all walks of life for public events and tours, the statement said. It was a “safe place and had a sense of privacy,” the statement said.
Now, the group stands together as Republicans and Democrats in its belief that Pennsylvania has to be a place of tolerance.
“We are ready to turn our grief and our anger into action,” the letter read.
“We stand united in support of Governor Shapiro, First Lady Shapiro, and the restoration of this beautiful home — and we are committed to quickly getting those doors back open once again for the people of Pennsylvania.”