Democrat governor tries to gaslight Americans on leftist violence — and gets hit with fierce backlash

The Democratic governor of Pennsylvania is facing fierce online criticism for misleading people about the political violence his own family faced.

Gov. Josh Shapiro posted a statement opposing comments from President Donald Trump about leftist violence in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Shapiro cited the recent firebombing that severely damaged his official residence.

'Democrats are truly in a very bad place. Nobody can save them but themselves.'

"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," Shapiro posted on Sunday.

"We are at an inflection point in America. 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," he added. "That needs to start with the President."

In response, many online pointed out that even the violence against Shapiro's family home was allegedly committed by a leftist.

"I'm very sorry about what you went through governor. I'm very sorry about what your family and children went through. But the person who set your house on fire and tried to burn you is from your own tribe. He's a left wing nut job," reads one popular response with more than 10K likes.

Shapiro's official residence was firebombed in April on Passover, and police arrested a car mechanic from the Harrisburg area for the crime. Cody Allen Balmer, 38, allegedly lit the governor's mansion on fire with two Molotov cocktails to protest Shapiro's support for Israel.

Shapiro's statement artfully dodged the fact that, according to police, his family had been targeted by a staunch supporter of Palestine.

RELATED: Biden, Obama, and others on the left call for end of political violence after death of Charlie Kirk

His critics on social media were not letting him get away with it.

"It's disappointing that Shapiro, who himself was targeted by left wing extremists when they burned down his home, can't clearly say that threat is real," Pradheep Shanker of National Review responded. "Democrats are truly in a very bad place. Nobody can save them but themselves."

"Josh Shapiro's house got burned down by a pro-Palestine leftist activist, and I don't think a single conservative condoned or celebrated it — unlike the millions who celebrated Charlie Kirk's death. Yeah, the Right has its occasional loons, but there's no equivalence," pastor Nathan Chester replied.

"Your house was burned down by a dirtbag leftist who was also scum. But you'll defend the scum because your party is so terrified of the monster they created," another detractor wrote.

Shapiro is seen as one of the possible candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. Blaze News has reached out to his office for comment.

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