No, The Attack On Democrat Josh Shapiro’s House Is Not An Example Of ‘MAGA’ Violence

Amid the furor over Charlie Kirk’s assassination, claims have been made in the attempt to “both sides” political violence that the man who attacked Pennsylvania Democrat governor Josh Shapiro’s home was a Trump supporter.

Shapiro himself, responding to the anger from President Donald Trump after the Kirk assassination, wrote, “No one party is immune from political violence. My family and I can attest to that.”

“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,” Shapiro said.

But the evidence available suggests that Shapiro’s attacker, Cody Balmer, is almost certainly not an example of right-wing violence.

Balmer had declared “himself a “socialist” in social media accounts expressing a range of far-left beliefs,” The New York Post pointed out, adding, “Balmer also shared multiple left-wing anti-capitalist posts on his Facebook.”

According to a search warrant, the motivation for Balmer’s hatred of Shapiro was rooted in the Jewish governor’s support for Israel.

After Balmer set the fire at Shapiro’s home, he reportedly called 911, declaring he “…will 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.” District Attorney Fran Chardo stated, “We will use the statement [by Balmer] regarding Palestine as evidence the defendant targeted the Governor because he is Jewish. We allege that this was a hate crime.”

“His posts express opposition to former President Joe Biden, President Donald Trump, the GOP and the Democratic Party. He also posted memes critical of the COVID-19 pandemic response, suggesting that the media and government overreacted and taking pride in disobeying lockdown orders,” News From The States reported.

Although his brother claimed that he tried to convince everyone in his family to vote for Trump in 2024, Balmer said of politicians, “I don’t play favorites especially since they all suck.” His family also said he had mental illness issues and would not take his medication.

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… https://t.co/XCbI5Z3RfR

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) September 15, 2025

None of these facts have stopped the media from labeling the attack on Shapiro right-wing violence.

Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” in listing attacks by members of the Right on political figures, limned Shapiro’s attacker as from the Right as Scarborough included Shapiro in his list, saying, “This followed Josh Shapiro having his home, an attempted arson, trying to burn down his home with his wife and his children sleeping inside of it. His goal, he admitted, was to burn the house down, find the Democratic governor of the state of Pennsylvania, and then beat him to death with a hammer.”

Don Lemon stated, “The man who targeted the home of Democratic governor Josh Shapiro … was a Trump supporter.”

Other voices on social media made claims such as, “The terrorist attack on Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence wasn’t random, it was a MAGA lunatic who was radicalized by hate and propaganda online.”