Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro was on Kamala Harris’s vice presidential shortlist last year. Rumor was, he flunked his VP interview and besides that, he had too much baggage for a national run. Plus, he’s actually a popular governor in Pennsylvania, a state with its fair share of wingnuts. All it takes is one wingnut to do significant damage, and that’s just what happened this weekend. A d-bag named Cody Balmer set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion. Gov. Shapiro and his young family had to escape a fiery mansion at 2 am Sunday morning.

Pennsylvania state authorities have arrested and charged a Harrisburg man they said set fire to the governor’s mansion while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept, forcing them to evacuate early Sunday before the blaze severely damaged part of the building.

The man, identified as Cody Balmer, 38, jumped a fence and managed to evade state troopers after he broke into the building, the authorities said. He fled the scene and was arrested after turning himself in to the police on Sunday afternoon, officials said at a news conference. Mr. Balmer was charged with attempted murder, arson and terrorism, the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office said early Monday.

During a news briefing on Sunday outside the fire-scarred mansion, Governor Shapiro, a Democrat who gained national prominence last year when he was on the short list of possible running mates for Kamala Harris, said that the F.B.I. was assisting in the investigation. The smell of smoke lingered in the air as he spoke, with the blackened, broken windows where the arsonist had struck visible behind him.

Mr. Shapiro became emotional as he described his family’s ordeal, recalling the moment a state trooper had banged on his door shortly after 2 a.m., waking him, his wife and his children, and rushing them to safety. The attack, he said, had been “targeted.”

“Last night, we experienced an attack, not just on our family, but on the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Mr. Shapiro said. “I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up, and in this moment of darkness, we are choosing to see light.”

While police did not disclose a motive, they detailed the attack in an affidavit filed with the charges against Mr. Balmer early on Monday. Mr. Balmer illegally entered the grounds of the governor’s residence early Sunday and broke a window with a hammer and threw an object inside that started a fire, according to the district attorney’s office. He then entered the building and started at least one more fire. Investigators recovered two broken glass beer bottles of Heineken that had been filled with gasoline.

During the news briefing, Mr. Shapiro said he had spoken with Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director. “He promised all of the resources of the federal government,” Mr. Shapiro said, adding that he thanked Mr. Patel, the F.B.I. and the president for their support.

[From The NY Times]

Yeah, I have zero confidence in Kash Patel or the FBI. This guy will probably only face state charges, and it will be up to Pennsylvania authorities to investigate Balmer’s ties to any groups. People are already looking through Balmer’s digital records and the guy was extremely anti-Biden and anti-Democrat. That should tell you a lot about his alliances and it should tell you a lot about how little the FBI will do about Balmer and his associations. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we learn that Gov. Shapiro was targeted because of his Jewish faith. This happened during Passover too.

Someone tried to kill Governor Shapiro and his family and Donald Trump has said nothing, but he has threatened to take 60 minutes off the air so yeah great job Mr President https://t.co/RngEQRlLGh

— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) April 14, 2025

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.