GOP congressman blames Pennsylvania governor for nearly getting killed
A GOP congressman victim-blamed Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania for the arson attack at the governor’s residence, saying that Shapiro’s outspokenness against President Donald Trump is what led Shapiro and his family to nearly be burned to death in their home.
“The left’s got to look in the mirror here,” Republican Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania said in a radio interview. “Our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but you know, they gotta tone it down too. I mean, every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood.”
The alleged assailant told police he set fire to the governor’s mansion the night Shapiro and his family were celebrating Passover because of his “hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” who is Jewish.
Police say the suspect, Cody Balmer, told 911 operators that he set the fire in part because he “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” referring to Shapiro, according to the news outlet PennLive.
Shapiro believes in Israel’s right to exist and supports a two-state solution in which the Palestinian people are given their own state alongside Israel. However, as governor of the Keystone State, Shapiro has no say over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip or U.S. policy in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Trump has said little about the attempt on Shapiro’s life, only noting that the attacker was a “whack job” and “not a fan of Trump.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi also downplayed the attack, stopping short of calling the attempt on Shapiro’s life an act of domestic terrorism. Bondi, however, believes protesting at Tesla dealerships is domestic terrorism, saying in a video statement: “I’ve made it clear: If you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars.”
Democrats, for their part, slammed Meuser for blaming Shapiro for the assassination attempt.
“Rep. Dan Meuser’s response to the arson at Governor Shapiro’s home? Telling him to ‘tone it down.’ Instead of showing leadership, Meuser chose to blame the victim. Republicans like Meuser keep saying the quiet part out loud,” the Pennsylvania Democratic Party wrote in a post on X.
Shapiro himself responded to Mesuer’s comment, telling reporters on Wednesday, “ I’ve said for years leaders have a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity. It would appear that the congressman failed to measure up to that.”
Thank you to the Daily Kos community who continues to fight so hard with Daily Kos. Your reader support means everything. We will continue to have you covered and keep you informed, so please donate just $3 to help support the work we do.
