‘Who Tried to Firebomb You, Governor?’ Conservatives Bristle Over Josh Shapiro Comments on Political Violence

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) is being rebuked by conservatives online after he tsk-tsk’d President Donald Trump over his rhetoric in the wake of the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

On Sunday, Shapiro responded to a clip of Trump asserting that the problem of political violence “is on the Left. It’s on not on the Right like some people like to say.”

“When you look at the agitators, you look at the scum that speaks so badly of our country, the American flag burnings all over the place, that’s the Left,” added Trump.

Shapiro replied:

No one party is immune from political violence. My family and I can attest to that.

Using the rhetoric of rage and calling some of our fellow Americans “scum” — no matter how profound our differences — only creates more division and makes it harder to heal.

We are at an inflection point in America. Violence transcends party lines — and the way to address it and have true peaceful debate is for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity. That needs to start with the President.

While Shapiro’s opening line would give the impression that he and his loved ones were threatened by a right-wing extremist, he was actually targeted over his perceived allegiance to Israel.

Earlier this year, 38-year-old Cody Allen Balmer set Shapiro’s residence on fire while the governor and his family were asleep inside. Balmer’s social media paints a scattershot portrait of his politics, but in a 911 call he placed on the very night he is alleged to have committed the crime, Balmer stated that he would “not take part in his [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.”

“He needs to stop having my friends killed,” added Balmer, who submitted that “our people have been put through too much by that monster.”

In light of those facts, a number of conservatives objected to Shapiro’s framing.

“It’s disappointing that Shapiro, who himself was targeted by left wing extremists when they burned down his home, can’t clearly say that threat is real,” declared National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker.

“Who tried to firebomb you, governor?” asked Noam Blum.

“Gov Shapiro, I’m sorry for what your family went through But you were likely attacked by a radical leftist, and the media has covered this up,” asserted Shaun Maguire.

“It’s your side committing the violence. It wasn’t a Republican who tried to burn down your mansion. Stop being a coward and call out your side for the violence they are perpetuating against us,” argued Nick Short.

And there was more where that came from.

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