Shapiro Gives First Public Comments Since Sunday Arson
Deferred questions of motive, failure of security to state and local officials
April 16, 2025
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Deferred questions of motive, failure of security to state and local officials
How did Cody Balmer penetrate security around the residence? Was it a hate crime? Who’s to blame?
Speaking to press after the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Gov. Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning.
He began by offering his thoughts, not as the chief executive of the Commonwealth, but as a husband and a parent.
“I’m trying to answer our kids’ questions, be honest with them, tell them what we know, and also tell them what we don’t know,” he said. “And to let them know that they’re safe and they’re going to be okay, and it’s okay to feel a lot of different things. It’s okay to not be okay also. So Lori and I have just tried to be put parents through this process.”
He shared that he has heard from every living former Governor of Pennsylvania, while his wife has also heard from former First Ladies as well. Shapiro also mentioned that dozens of governors have reached out to him, as have congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle and ordinary Pennsylvanians.
“It has really strengthened us, and it’s lifted our spirits,” he said.
He reiterated his stance that recent political violence has risen to an intolerable level and needs to end.
“This is not how we resolve our differences, and this is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This level of violence has to end, and it has to be roundly condemned by everyone, both political parties, people from all different walks of life. It’s not okay. So prosecutors will ultimately determine what motivated this.”
The governor said that he, along with Col. Christopher Paris of the Pennsylvania State Police, are in agreement that a third-party independent review that will consist of a risk and vulnerability assessment of the Governor’s Residence and grounds is warranted. Shapiro also expressed “full confidence” in Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo in handling the case.
Shapiro was asked about the comments from Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), a potential gubernatorial challenger in 2026, who said on WILK radio in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday (6:23 mark) that “our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but they gotta tone it down too. Every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood.”
The governor delivered his sharpest response during the session, when he responded, “He said that?,” and after a short pause, “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.”
Shapiro said that he did want the Residence to serve as a “place that is comfortable and safe for my, my family, our staff and for visitors all across Pennsylvania,” adding that the house will continue to remain open for celebrations and other events.
The governor also said that his children said to him that they wanted to do something for the firefighters who came on the scene and put out the fire. So on Thursday, the Shapiro family along with Chef Robert Irvine will serve lunch to all the firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire as a way to thank them for what they do every day.
Shapiro parried most questions about possible motive, an apparent lack of a fire suppression system in the residence, and security lapses to the Pennsylvania State Police and Chardo.
“I’m sure there are other parents out there who could do a much better job of explaining (why people want to do harm to others) to the kids,” he said. “I think the most important thing I can do for my kids right now is to answer the specifics that I know so that they have the information they need. And to just hug them a lot and kiss them a lot and let them know that they’re safe and that they’re going to be okay, and just get them back into their normal routine as much as as much as possible.”
Speaking to press after the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Gov. Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning.
He began by offering his thoughts, not as the chief executive of the Commonwealth, but as a husband and a parent.
“I’m trying to answer our kids’ questions, be honest with them, tell them what we know, and also tell them what we don’t know,” he said. “And to let them know that they’re safe and they’re going to be okay, and it’s okay to feel a lot of different things. It’s okay to not be okay also. So Lori and I have just tried to be put parents through this process.”
He shared that he has heard from every living former Governor of Pennsylvania, while his wife has also heard from former First Ladies as well. Shapiro also mentioned that dozens of governors have reached out to him, as have congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle and ordinary Pennsylvanians.
“It has really strengthened us, and it’s lifted our spirits,” he said.
He reiterated his stance that recent political violence has risen to an intolerable level and needs to end.
“This is not how we resolve our differences, and this is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This level of violence has to end, and it has to be roundly condemned by everyone, both political parties, people from all different walks of life. It’s not okay. So prosecutors will ultimately determine what motivated this.”
The governor said that he, along with Col. Christopher Paris of the Pennsylvania State Police, are in agreement that a third-party independent review that will consist of a risk and vulnerability assessment of the Governor’s Residence and grounds is warranted. Shapiro also expressed “full confidence” in Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo in handling the case.
Shapiro was asked about the comments from Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), a potential gubernatorial challenger in 2026, who said on WILK radio in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday (6:23 mark) that “our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but they gotta tone it down too. Every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood.”
The governor delivered his sharpest response during the session, when he responded, “He said that?,” and after a short pause, “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.”
Shapiro said that he did want the Residence to serve as a “place that is comfortable and safe for my, my family, our staff and for visitors all across Pennsylvania,” adding that the house will continue to remain open for celebrations and other events.
The governor also said that his children said to him that they wanted to do something for the firefighters who came on the scene and put out the fire. So on Thursday, the Shapiro family along with Chef Robert Irvine will serve lunch to all the firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire as a way to thank them for what they do every day.
Shapiro parried most questions about possible motive, an apparent lack of a fire suppression system in the residence, and security lapses to the Pennsylvania State Police and Chardo.
“I’m sure there are other parents out there who could do a much better job of explaining (why people want to do harm to others) to the kids,” he said. “I think the most important thing I can do for my kids right now is to answer the specifics that I know so that they have the information they need. And to just hug them a lot and kiss them a lot and let them know that they’re safe and that they’re going to be okay, and just get them back into their normal routine as much as as much as possible.”
Speaking to press after the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Gov. Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning.
He began by offering his thoughts, not as the chief executive of the Commonwealth, but as a husband and a parent.
“I’m trying to answer our kids’ questions, be honest with them, tell them what we know, and also tell them what we don’t know,” he said. “And to let them know that they’re safe and they’re going to be okay, and it’s okay to feel a lot of different things. It’s okay to not be okay also. So Lori and I have just tried to be put parents through this process.”
He shared that he has heard from every living former Governor of Pennsylvania, while his wife has also heard from former First Ladies as well. Shapiro also mentioned that dozens of governors have reached out to him, as have congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle and ordinary Pennsylvanians.
“It has really strengthened us, and it’s lifted our spirits,” he said.
He reiterated his stance that recent political violence has risen to an intolerable level and needs to end.
“This is not how we resolve our differences, and this is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This level of violence has to end, and it has to be roundly condemned by everyone, both political parties, people from all different walks of life. It’s not okay. So prosecutors will ultimately determine what motivated this.”
The governor said that he, along with Col. Christopher Paris of the Pennsylvania State Police, are in agreement that a third-party independent review that will consist of a risk and vulnerability assessment of the Governor’s Residence and grounds is warranted. Shapiro also expressed “full confidence” in Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo in handling the case.
Shapiro was asked about the comments from Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), a potential gubernatorial challenger in 2026, who said on WILK radio in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday (6:23 mark) that “our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but they gotta tone it down too. Every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood.”
The governor delivered his sharpest response during the session, when he responded, “He said that?,” and after a short pause, “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.”
Shapiro said that he did want the Residence to serve as a “place that is comfortable and safe for my, my family, our staff and for visitors all across Pennsylvania,” adding that the house will continue to remain open for celebrations and other events.
The governor also said that his children said to him that they wanted to do something for the firefighters who came on the scene and put out the fire. So on Thursday, the Shapiro family along with Chef Robert Irvine will serve lunch to all the firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire as a way to thank them for what they do every day.
Shapiro parried most questions about possible motive, an apparent lack of a fire suppression system in the residence, and security lapses to the Pennsylvania State Police and Chardo.
“I’m sure there are other parents out there who could do a much better job of explaining (why people want to do harm to others) to the kids,” he said. “I think the most important thing I can do for my kids right now is to answer the specifics that I know so that they have the information they need. And to just hug them a lot and kiss them a lot and let them know that they’re safe and that they’re going to be okay, and just get them back into their normal routine as much as as much as possible.”
Speaking to press after the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Gov. Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning.
He began by offering his thoughts, not as the chief executive of the Commonwealth, but as a husband and a parent.
“I’m trying to answer our kids’ questions, be honest with them, tell them what we know, and also tell them what we don’t know,” he said. “And to let them know that they’re safe and they’re going to be okay, and it’s okay to feel a lot of different things. It’s okay to not be okay also. So Lori and I have just tried to be put parents through this process.”
He shared that he has heard from every living former Governor of Pennsylvania, while his wife has also heard from former First Ladies as well. Shapiro also mentioned that dozens of governors have reached out to him, as have congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle and ordinary Pennsylvanians.
“It has really strengthened us, and it’s lifted our spirits,” he said.
He reiterated his stance that recent political violence has risen to an intolerable level and needs to end.
“This is not how we resolve our differences, and this is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This level of violence has to end, and it has to be roundly condemned by everyone, both political parties, people from all different walks of life. It’s not okay. So prosecutors will ultimately determine what motivated this.”
The governor said that he, along with Col. Christopher Paris of the Pennsylvania State Police, are in agreement that a third-party independent review that will consist of a risk and vulnerability assessment of the Governor’s Residence and grounds is warranted. Shapiro also expressed “full confidence” in Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo in handling the case.
Shapiro was asked about the comments from Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), a potential gubernatorial challenger in 2026, who said on WILK radio in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday (6:23 mark) that “our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but they gotta tone it down too. Every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood.”
The governor delivered his sharpest response during the session, when he responded, “He said that?,” and after a short pause, “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.”
Shapiro said that he did want the Residence to serve as a “place that is comfortable and safe for my, my family, our staff and for visitors all across Pennsylvania,” adding that the house will continue to remain open for celebrations and other events.
The governor also said that his children said to him that they wanted to do something for the firefighters who came on the scene and put out the fire. So on Thursday, the Shapiro family along with Chef Robert Irvine will serve lunch to all the firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire as a way to thank them for what they do every day.
Shapiro parried most questions about possible motive, an apparent lack of a fire suppression system in the residence, and security lapses to the Pennsylvania State Police and Chardo.
“I’m sure there are other parents out there who could do a much better job of explaining (why people want to do harm to others) to the kids,” he said. “I think the most important thing I can do for my kids right now is to answer the specifics that I know so that they have the information they need. And to just hug them a lot and kiss them a lot and let them know that they’re safe and that they’re going to be okay, and just get them back into their normal routine as much as as much as possible.”
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