PA Lawmaker Takes Flamethrower To Governor's Budget After Arson

HARRISBURG, PA — Several weeks after a man allegedly attempted to kill Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family in an arson attack, a state lawmaker posted a video of herself taking a flamethrower to Shapiro's proposed state budget.

Republican state Sen. Dawn Keefer of Cumberland and York counties posted the one-minute video on social media on May 8. In it, she asserted that Shapiro's $51 billion "fantasy budget" would lead to a 52 percent tax increase.

“But just like the farmers in the Whiskey Rebellion we say enough," Keefer said.

The video was posted following the April 13 arson at the governor's residence during the first night of Passover shortly after the Shapiro family held a Seder at the home.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, allegedly climbed over a fence to get onto the property, and then threw a Heineken bottle filled with gasoline from his lawnmower through the window of the piano room, sparking a fire, according to a criminal complaint.

He then broke another window to enter the home and used similar Molotov cocktail-like "homemade incendiary devices" to start multiple blazes in the dining room and other rooms throughout the house, according to authorities.

Balmer was charged with homicide, arson, terrorism and other offenses. The fire caused significant damage to the residence but no one was injured.

Republican lawmakers have stayed silent on the video, but it was condemned by Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa of Allegheny County on social media.

“You don’t take a flamethrower to a Governor’s budget when the governor’s home was just torched,” Costa said on X. “It was insensitive, uncalled for, and really has gotten to a point where disappointed this type of rhetoric continues to move forward. We have to tone this all down.”