"Harboring hatred": Police say Shapiro arson suspect confessed to targeting Democratic governor
The 38-year-old man accused of setting fire to the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confessed to "harboring hatred" towards the Democratic politician, prosecutors said Monday.
Early Sunday morning, Shapiro and his family were woken by police after a man broke into the official governor's residence in Harrisburg and set fire to the room where they had just celebrated the first night of Passover.
Police say that the blaze was set by Cody Balmer, who turned himself in on Sunday afternoon, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to authorities, he broke a window at Shapiro's residence and then threw multiple bottles full of gasoline before fleeing the scene.
Balmer, who faces charges of arson and homicide, among other offenses, confessed to "harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro," per the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office. According to prosecutors, he also admitted that, had he encountered the governor, "he would have beaten him with his hammer," NBC News reported.
Balmer turned himself in on Sunday after police were contacted by a woman claiming to be his ex-girlfriend. Prosecutors said police later recovered a bag containing a sledgehammer and other items "identical to those observed in the surveillance at the Governor's residence."
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Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Suspect still being sought in shooting of 2 Minnesota state lawmakers
BROOKLYN PARK, Minnesota— A massive search was stretching into its second day for a man who authorities say posed as a police officer and fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker in her suburban Minneapolis home, an act Gov. Tim Walz called 'a politically motivated assassination.' Authorities said the suspect also shot and wounded a second lawmaker and was trying to flee the area. Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin address, about 9 miles away. Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, and the FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They shared a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings. Hundreds of law enforcement officers fanned out in the search for the suspect. Authorities had not given any details on a possible motive as of Saturday night. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned 'No Kings' demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway. Authorities said the suspect had 'No Kings' flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets. A Minnesota official told AP the suspect's writings also contained information targeting prominent lawmakers who have been outspoken in favor of abortion rights. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. Law enforcement agents recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect's vehicle, and he was believed to still be armed with a pistol, a person familiar with the matter told AP. The person could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. 'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,' said Walz, a Democrat. He also ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Hortman's honor. 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' President Donald Trump said in a statement. Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans' home shortly after 2 a.m., Champlin police said, and found the couple with multiple gunshot wounds. After seeing who the victims were, police sent officers to proactively check on Hortman's home. There they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer at the door, leaving the house. 'When officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home' and escaped on foot, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. Multiple bullet holes could be seen in the front door of Hoffman's home. John and Yvette Hoffman each underwent surgery, according to Walz. Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year's session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita. Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota's status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them. Walz called her a 'formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota.' Hortman and her husband had two adult children. The initial autopsy reports from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office gave their cause of death as 'multiple gunshot wounds.' The reports said Melissa Hortman died at the scene while her husband was pronounced dead at the hospital. Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter. Boelter was appointed to the workforce development board in 2016 and then reappointed in 2019 to a four-year term that expired in 2023, state records show. Corporate records show Boelter's wife filed to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same Green Isle mailing address listed for the couple. Boelter's wife is listed as president and CEO and he is listed as director of security patrols on the company's website. The website says the company provides armed security for property and events and features a photo of an SUV painted in a two-tone black and silver pattern similar to a police vehicle. Another photo shows a man in black tactical gear with a military-style helmet and a ballistic vest. An online resume says Boelter is a security contractor who has worked in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to past managerial roles at companies in Minnesota. Around 6 a.m., Boelter texted friends to say he had 'made some choices,' the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. In the messages, read to reporters by David Carlson, Boelter did not specify what he had done but said: 'I'm going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way. … I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused.' Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack 'evil' and said she was 'heartbroken beyond words' by the killings. The shootings are the latest in a series of attacks against lawmakers across parties. In April a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The suspect said he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents. In July 2024, Trump was grazed on the ear by one of a hail of bullets that killed a Trump supporter. Two months later a man with a rifle was discovered near the president's Florida golf course and arrested. Other incidents include a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in their San Francisco home and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and start a civil war. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Capitol Police to 'immediately increase security' for Minnesota Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. He also asked Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, to hold a briefing on member security.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Minnesota's slain Democratic leader lived the political divisions in the US every day
MINNEAPOLIS — Americans talk constantly about how their country is split down the middle politically. Melissa Hortman lived that every day as a Minnesota House member. Her unique perspective on politics came from her job as the House's top Democrat and its unusual challenge. She had to defend liberal priorities in a chamber divided 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans while working to see that the even split didn't keep the Legislature from funding state government. She and her husband were shot to death early Saturday in their Minneapolis-area home in what authorities are calling an act of political violence. Another prominent area lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, was shot and wounded, along with his wife, in their home about 15 minutes away. Hortman had served as House speaker for six years when the 2024 elections cost Democrats their slim majority. She led fellow Democrats in boycotting House sessions for almost a month, starting in mid-January, to prevent the GOP from using a temporary vacancy in a Democratic seat to cement control over the chamber, forcing Republicans into sharing power. She wanted to protect state health coverage for adult immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, a liberal policy enacted on her watch as speaker in 2023. But when the only budget deal that she could broker included a GOP bill to cut that coverage, she provided the single Democratic vote in the House, securing its passage so that state government would remain funded for the next two years. 'She battled fiercely, but never let it impact the personal bond that we developed serving as caucus leaders,' GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth said in a statement. 'I am beyond heartbroken by her loss.' The shootings shocked a state that prides its politics as being 'Minnesota nice,' even despite higher partisan tensions in recent years. To outsiders, Minnesota looks blue. The state hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1972, and all of its statewide elected officials are Democrats. Yet the Legislature is now almost evenly split, with Democrats clinging to a 34-33 majority in the Senate. Republicans are still frustrated with how Democrats used their slim majorities in both chambers in 2023 and 2024 to roll over them and enact a sweeping liberal agenda. In 2023, Democrats had an ambitious wish list and passed practically everything on it, with Hortman a key player. The measures included expanded abortion and trans rights, paid family and medical leave, universal free school lunches, child care credits and other aid for families. But on Saturday, the mourning for Hortman, Hoffman and their families was bipartisan. Hoffman, 60, is chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He lives in Champlin, in the northwest part of the Minneapolis area, and owns a consulting firm, and he and his wife, Yvette, had one daughter. He previously was marketing and public relations director for a nonprofit provider of employment services for people with mental illnesses and intellectual and developmental disabilities and supervised a juvenile detention center in Iowa. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012. In 2023, Hoffman supported budget legislation that extended the state MinnesotaCare health program to immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, starting this year. On Monday, he voted against a bill to end that coverage for adults on Jan. 1 — a GOP goal that was a key part of the budget agreement that Hortman helped broker. Last year, Hoffman sponsored a bill designed to prevent courts from blocking people with disabilities from adopting children, and in 2023, he proposed an amendment to the state constitution to create a fund to pay for long-term care by taxing the Social Security benefits of the state's wealthiest residents. Hortman had served as the House Democrats' leader since 2017, and six years as speaker, starting in 2019. Under a power-sharing deal, her title became speaker emerita. She and her husband, Mark, lived in Brooklyn Park, another suburb in the northwest part of the Minneapolis area. They had two adult children. A lawyer, she twice lost races for the House before first winning her seat in 2004. U.S. Sen. and Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar recalled campaigning door to door that year with Hortman, when Klobuchar was the elected chief prosecutor for Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis. Klobuchar praised Hortman's support for free school lunches, women's rights and clean energy, calling her 'a true public servant to the core.' Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who attended the University of Minnesota's law school with Hortman, said: 'She was smart, savvy, strategic, kind, funny, brave, and determined.' Hortman became part of the Democrats' legislative leadership team in 2007, then House minority leader in 2017, before Democrats recaptured a House majority in 2019. Her proposals included state emission standards like ones imposed in California and a ban on the sale of products containing mercury. She also proposed studying the feasibility of ending state investments in fossil fuel companies. Demuth, the current Republican House speaker, said Hortman was a nationally recognized expert on energy policy. 'She wasn't only a leader — she was a damn good legislator, and Minnesotans everywhere will suffer because of this loss,' said Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, a former Minnesota state party chair and a friend of Hortman's.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Padilla handcuffing raises the stakes for Democrats confronting administration
The handcuffing of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) raises the stakes for future clashes between Democrats and the administration as acts of protest have been met with swift law enforcement action. Democrats have vowed to continue their pressure campaign on the administration over its immigration policies, but the incident involving Padilla and President Trump's forceful response to Democratic protestors raise questions over how such confrontations will intensify. The remarkable video shows Padilla being forced to the ground and then handcuffed after interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference, with the lawmaker identifying himself by name and title and saying he wished to ask a question. Trump administration officials said Secret Service agents responded as trained — removing an unknown figure as he pushed his way toward the front of a press conference. Democrats see it as the manhandling of a colleague and an escalation after the administration brought charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) over her involvement in a scuffle that erupted when she and colleagues were attempting to visit a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. 'This is another incident of Trump and his administration abusing their power and stopping members and elected officials from doing their jobs. I mean, this is just going to keep escalating,' McIver said in response to a question from The Hill. 'This is why we must continue to do oversight. We must continue to do our jobs, and be vocal about what this administration is doing. And it's a threat to our democracy. It's very sad. It's a sad day in America to see everything that is happening, from the situation with me to now with the United States senator being basically tackled to the ground.' Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) raised a more chilling prospect. 'It is a further dissension into anarchy and authoritarianism, and it is time that Republicans in the House and the Senate not only stand up for our institution, but stand up for democracy and call on Donald Trump to stop this lawlessness, or someone is going to get killed,' he told The Hill. The condemnation from Democrats of Padilla's treatment was immediate, with California Democrats walking down the Capitol steps in unison for a press conference that swelled as more of their colleagues from other states arrived. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said Padilla was 'assaulted.' Numerous lawmakers said he was 'manhandled.' And Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) raised concerns that Democrats could face violent consequences even as he stressed the need to push back on what he dubbed an effort by Trump 'to show that he is not controlled by our Constitution.' 'We're heading down a dark, dark path, something that in my imagination I never thought we would reach. But this is where we are, and if, if they can do that to a member of Congress from New Jersey, a senior senator who was shouting at the top of his lungs, 'I am Sen. Alex Padilla,'' Gomez said. 'If it can happen to Alex, it can happen to any of those senators on the other side, or any member of Congress, or anybody. So I want to just stress that we're not going to give up. We're not going to be intimidated. We're not going to be cowards. We're going to keep fighting for our communities. …When is it going to be enough? When somebody gets shot in the streets of Los Angeles? When a member gets shot?' he said before trailing off as he became overcome with emotion. But many also urged caution and stressed the need to respond peacefully. 'They are trying to stage as many violent and political provocations as possible. And so we're in a dangerous situation right now. So I urge everybody on our side to act with maximum restraint and in the best traditions of non-violence,' Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told The Hill before referencing Trump's Saturday parade. 'Because Donald Trump has a $100 million military extravaganza parade coming to Washington. They told people not to come to work on Friday. And he's threatening to send troops to other cities. So I regard the situation with immense gravity.' The potential for charges for Democrats engaging with law enforcement are no small matter. McIver, who was indicted by a grand jury this week after the administration accused her of using her forearms to attack law enforcement, could face up to 17 years if convicted. Democrats have called the prosecution a politically motivated case that twists her efforts to brace herself in the scuffle. And while Padilla is the only lawmaker who has been handcuffed, a staffer for Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) was also handcuffed after Department of Homeland Security officers pushed their way into the office without a warrant while looking for those protesting arrests at immigration courthouses. At the same time, there are risks to law enforcement, though it's highly unlikely the Trump administration would pursue any charges. 'These thugs who manhandled the senator probably don't know it's a federal offense to attack a member of Congress, but that's not what it's about,' Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on the Capitol steps. 'It shouldn't be anybody in our country [who is] treated this way. So we speak out for Senator Padilla. We're speaking out for everyone who has a right to speak.' Shortly after Padilla was removed, Noem addressed the matter, saying the lawmaker behaved inappropriately but said she would meet with him, which she did not long after the press conference ended. 'I think everyone would agree that wasn't appropriate,' she said. 'When I leave here I'll find him and visit and find out really what his concerns were. I think everybody in America would agree that that wasn't appropriate, that if you wanted to have a civil discussion, especially as a leader, a public official, that you would reach out and try to have a conversation,' she said. The Department of Homeland Security later incorrectly said Padilla failed to identify himself and said he was not wearing his Senate pin, though he was wearing a shirt with the Senate logo on it. Few Republicans have answered Democrats' calls to rebuke the response to Padilla. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called the incident 'horrible.' 'It's horrible. It is shocking at every level. It's not the America I know,' she said. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said, 'it looks like he's being manhandled and physically removed, and it's hard to imagine a justification for that.' But Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) leveled criticism at Padilla for missing scheduled votes that day. 'I think he should have been here in Washington voting,' Barrasso told reporters. 'He has a responsibility to his constituents to show up at work,' he continued. 'Not to go try to make a spectacle of himself.' For his part, Padilla was also surprised by his treatment, saying in an interview with Pod Save America that it took 'maybe half a second for multiple agents to be on me.' He said he snapped when he heard Noem describe herself as in Los Angeles to 'liberate' the city from its governor and mayor, motivating him to interject. He encouraged people to 'continue to speak up.' 'We have First Amendment rights in this country. Speak up, protest peacefully. But continue to speak up because Donald Trump would want nothing more than for all of us to just cower away and say nothing, and let him continue to abuse his power,' he said. 'We cannot let this be the norm.' But in the aftermath of the incident, he said he's left wondering what happens when there aren't cameras rolling, and people who do not have powerful positions like the one he holds encounter DHS and ICE agents conducting the raids. 'If a senator asking a question scares them so much that they'll deploy agents to put a United States senator in handcuffs, imagine what they're doing to people out there, maybe subject to an immigration raid, who have a question…may be requesting their lawyer but not getting that opportunity,' he said. 'These are dangerous times for the United States of America.'
