Gov. Josh Shapiro Asked About Report That Israel-Palestine Conflict Motivated Alleged Arsonist

Forbes Breaking News

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) was asked about the alleged arsonist's motivations.

Transcript

00:00All right. Tom?

00:02How are you doing and your family doing since what occurred over the weekend?

00:07And what is your reaction to some court documents suggesting that the Israel-Palestine conflict

00:13might have had something to do with the motivations of the arsonist?

00:17Yeah. Well, first of all, I appreciate you asking about how we're doing.

00:23You know, it's obviously been a challenge.

00:26My focus has been on being a good dad, a good husband, and a good governor, in that order.

00:36And just trying our best to answer our kids' questions, be honest with them,

00:43tell them what we know, and also tell them what we don't know,

00:47and to let them know that they're safe and they're going to be okay.

00:52And it's okay to feel a lot of different things.

00:57And it's okay to not be okay also.

01:01So Laura and I have just tried to be good parents through this process.

01:06And we've gotten a lot of just unbelievably warm wishes from people

01:13and prayers from people of all different faiths that have really sustained us

01:20and lifted our spirits.

01:30So much of the work that I do every day,

01:36so much of the news that you all cover, sadly, is bad news, right?

01:45And yet, in these days following the bad news,

01:51what Laura and I have experienced is just an outpouring of positivity and warmth

01:57from so many people that has really filled us up and has strengthened us.

02:04And I think it has strengthened our kids as well.

02:09So we appreciate the wishes.

02:12I can tell you I've heard from every former living governor of Pennsylvania.

02:18The lorries heard from the first ladies.

02:22I've heard from dozens of governors across the country,

02:27so many lawmakers in Pennsylvania,

02:30obviously people of both parties.

02:32And just so many Pennsylvanians reaching out.

02:37And it has really strengthened us and it's lifted our spirits.

02:42As for the other part of your question,

02:45I said on Sunday,

02:48I think it may time have been in response to a question you asked,

02:51that it wasn't clear at the time what the motives were of the arsonist,

02:58but that nothing he could do would deter me from doing my job as governor.

03:06Nothing he could do would deter me from proudly and openly practicing my faith.

03:15I told you that day that I was going to be heading to our second Seder.

03:20And we did.

03:21We had a beautiful Seder together.

03:24And I continue to find strength in my faith as we go forward here.

03:29I know that there are people out there who want to ascribe their own viewpoints

03:40as to what happened here and why.

03:44I know there are people out there who want to adopt their own political viewpoints

03:50or their own worldviews to what happened and why.

03:57I choose not to participate in that.

04:02I said after the assassination attempt on the president in Butler,

04:08I said in Altoona after we captured the individual who shot and killed the U.S. health care CEO,

04:17and I said on Sunday that this kind of violence has no place in our society,

04:24regardless of what motivates it.

04:27This is not how we resolve our differences.

04:31And this is not okay.

04:33This level of violence has to end.

04:36And it has to be roundly condemned by everyone,

04:39both political parties, people from all different walks of life.

04:44It's not okay.

04:45So the prosecutors will ultimately determine what motivated this.

04:51The district attorney and the Department of Justice can comment on that further.

04:56But right now, I think what we're trying to do is find the good in society,

05:00not be deterred from our work,

05:03not be deterred from practicing our faith proudly,

05:07and to continue to move forward as parents

05:14and continue to move forward as governor and first lady.

05:17Governor's will be the good in the middle of the school district.

05:19Governor's will be the good in the middle of the school district.

05:19Governor says,

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