New: PA Governor's Mansion Arsonist Pleads Guilty, Learns Sentence

On Tuesday, the accused firebomber of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's official residence entered a plea of guilty and received his sentence: 25 to 50 years in prison.

The man who firebombed the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro pleaded guilty on Tuesday and was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Cody Balmer pleaded guilty to charges including aggravated arson, arson and the attempted murder of Shapiro, the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors released surveillance video on Tuesday capturing the attack as it unfolded.
Balmer climbed a fence at the governor's mansion in Harrisburg, broke a window and hurled a Molotov cocktail inside, prosecutors said.
Video showed Balmer walking through the house, hitting at doors, "including a door leading to where the Governor’s family and guests slept, but could not break through," prosecutors said in a statement.

A local television channel has the details of the crime:

RedState reported on the incident at the time:

Disturbing Details Emerge About Arsonist Who Hit Josh Shapiro's Home—Prepared to Beat PA Gov. With Hammer

Balmer reportedly gave as the reason for his attack the governor's support for Israel and that nation's pursuit of a military solution in Gaza.

At the hearing, prosecutors displayed video of the attack.

Prosecutors released surveillance video on Tuesday capturing the attack as it unfolded.
Balmer climbed a fence at the governor's mansion in Harrisburg, broke a window and hurled a Molotov cocktail inside, prosecutors said.
Video showed Balmer walking through the house, hitting at doors, "including a door leading to where the Governor’s family and guests slept, but could not break through," prosecutors said in a statement.

Here's the first video of the attack:

You can view the Dauphin County Attorney's Office press release on the conclusion of this case, along with the remaining videos submitted as evidence, here. That release provides some troubling details of the people who were put in harm's way by this attack, as well as noting Balmer's admitted reason for targeting Governor Shapiro.

At the time Balmer set the fires within the Governor’s Residence, Governor Shapiro, the First Lady, three of their children, fifteen overnight guests, including other members of the Governor’s family, and two Pennsylvania State Police Troopers were all inside the Governor’s Residence. The set fires substantially endangered these twenty-two individuals who are named in Counts 4 through 25. Eight of those endangered individuals were children ranging in age from 8 years old to 16 years old.
The defendant subsequently surrendered at Pennsylvania State Police Departmental Headquarters that same day. He submitted to a voluntary interview with police after waiving his right to silence and to have counsel present. Balmer confessed to the above actions. He indicated that he targeted the Governor’s Residence, and specifically Governor Shapiro. For reasons, Balmer cited the military actions of the State of Israel in Gaza. He said that, if he came upon the Governor, he would have struck him with the hammer. This would be deadly force and supports intent and act necessary to prove attempted murder.

What's troubling about this case is that it's another in a disturbing series of politically-motivated crimes of violence. Fortunately, Governor Shapiro, his wife, his children, and their guests were not seriously harmed; this could have gone much worse, and it would appear to have been Cody Balmer's intent that they were much worse, as he admitted, in his statement of intent to attack the governor with a hammer, had he encountered him.

Governor Shapiro is a Democrat, but this kind of thing is not a partisan matter. We should all abhor this kind of politically-based violence. Unfortunately, one side seems more and more likely by the day to call for just this kind of thing.

This case has now come to a satisfactory end. Cody Balmer faces a long stretch of looking at steel bars from the wrong side. But how many more Cody Balmers are out there?

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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