PA Republicans silent after member calls for violent rebellion against Shapiro’s budget

A video posted by State Sen. Dawn Keefer has renewed calls to end political violence. Her social media post called for a second Whiskey Rebellion and used a flamethrower on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget less than a month after the governor’s residence was firebombed. 

Republicans in the Pennsylvania Senate have refused to condemn a video posted to social media by State Sen. Dawn Keefer (R-York) last week in which she called for a second Whiskey Rebellion, and burned Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $51.5 billion budget with a flame thrower.  

The video was posted to her legislative accounts less than a month after Shapiro’s residence was firebombed by an arsonist, and it has drawn condemnation from Democratic leaders in the Pennsylvania Senate and from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. 

Shapiro and his family were forced to evacuate from the governor’s residence after they finished celebrating the first night of Passover. 

“This is truly disgusting,” State Sen. Jay Costa said on social media. “Governor Shapiro deserves an apology immediately from Senator Keefer, her Pa. Senate GOP leadership and the Pennsylvania GOP Chair [State Sen.] Greg Rothman.”

“Violent political rhetoric like this is how people get hurt and the GOP needs to get serious about civility.” 

Some Republicans were quick to blame Shapiro for the political climate that caused the attack on the governor’s residence in the days following the arson. 

“He needs to as a member of the Democratic Party call out this violence … this has to stop, but let’s be clear, it is coming from the left,” Rothman said in an interview on Newsmax. 

Congressman Dan Meuser (R-Berks), who is potentially looking to challenge Shapiro in the 2026 gubernatorial election, also appeared to suggest Shapiro was to blame for the political climate that led to the firebombing. 

“Our hearts go out to the Shapiro family on this, but they got to tone it down too. Every action Josh Shapiro has taken so far against the president has either been a lawsuit or a falsehood, and that’s not helpful either,” Meuser said while appearing on a local radio program.

Senate President Kim Ward’s office and Keefer’s office both refused to provide a comment on the video and whether it could potentially lead to political violence. 

“Senator Ward’s failure to call out this violent rhetoric is a failure of leadership,” Jack Doyle, Director of the Pennsylvania Accountability Hub, said in a statement.

 “We are less than a month from a violent arson attack on the Governor’s family, and now a member Ward’s caucus is calling for violent rebellion while shooting a flamethrower. This sort of call for violence has no place in our government, and Sen. Ward needs to condemn it immediately,” Doyle said.