Bondi on Shapiro arson attack: Federal government assisting with investigation

Federal authorities are assisting with the state investigation into the arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) official residence, and Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Wednesday she wants the person responsible to end up “behind bars as long as possible.”

“It is absolutely horrific what happened to [Shapiro],” Bondi said, noting she has known the governor for years.

“Those photos — it was horrible. I firmly believe that they wanted to kill him,” she added.

But she stopped short of labeling the attack “domestic terrorism” as the Trump administration has sought to categorize attacks targeting conservatives — most notably the vandalism of Tesla dealerships and vehicles.

Bondi said she and FBI director Kash Patel have both been in contact with Shapiro.

“We are working with state authorities to do … anything we can to help convict the person that did this and keep them behind bars, as long as possible,” she said.

Cody Allen Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, Pa., is facing multiple charges in the early Sunday morning attack that took place while Shapiro and his family slept after a Passover Seder held at their residence. Shapiro, a Democratic rising star who nearly became then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, is Jewish.

No one was injured, but the fire caused significant damage to the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence, the stately 29​,000-square-foot home in Harrisburg used by governors since 1968.

According to court documents, Balmer said he hated Shapiro and had planned to attack the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him during the attack.

Bondi didn’t directly address a reporter’s question about whether the Pennsylvania arson attack will be treated as “domestic terrorism,” as Bondi has labeled attacks on Tesla dealerships and automobiles due to CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration and massive cuts to federal programs through the Department of Government Efficiency that Musk effectively leads.

President Trump on Monday said the Pennsylvania attacker was “probably just a whack job.”