by Viktoria Sundqvist CTNewsJunkie
Connecticut Senate Republicans on Sunday issued a statement condemning violence “in the strongest of terms” after a recent arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s home.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence in Harrisburg, Pa., was partially burned early Sunday morning, but the Democratic governor, his family and his pets escaped unharmed after just having celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover, the Associated Press reports. A man was arrested and will be charged with attempted murder, terrorism and attempted arson, according to the AP.
“We are relieved that the governor and his family were safely evacuated by Pennsylvania state police, that no one was injured in the arson attack and that the fire was successfully extinguished,” state Sen. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, said in a statement on behalf of the caucus. “People must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for any property damage, threats and violence. There must be zero tolerance for it.”
Gov. Ned Lamont also condemned the violence in Pennsylvania and said he is keeping Gov. Shapiro, his family, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in his thoughts.
“We are relieved that Governor Shapiro, Lori, and their family are safe after last night’s fire and are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement who acted so quickly,” Lamont said. “Violence of any kind has no place in our democracy.”
The suspect has been identified as Cody A. Balmer, who is accused of jumping a wall of the property, then smashing a window with a hammer and throwing several Molotov cocktails into the house, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s office. Balmer told police he was upset with Shapiro and would have beaten the governor with his hammer if he had encountered him inside, according to charging documents.
Harding, Connecticut’s Senate minority leader, called the attack “disgusting and disgraceful.”
In February, Harding himself was the subject of a bomb threat at his Brookfield home. Just a week earlier, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat, reported a bomb threat at his home in Stamford.
The threat against Harding was sent via email, mentioned a pipe bomb and referenced politics, he told CT Insider at the time.
Both Republicans and Democrats at the time issued statements condemning threats and acts of violence, saying there is no place for either in Connecticut, and everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home.