NANTICOKE — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned threats made against Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan Jr. and his fiancée on their online registry ahead of the couple’s wedding this weekend.
“First, I wish Rob and his fiancée the very best this weekend. Second, there’s absolutely no place in our politics for this type of threat of political violence or threats against someone, especially against their spouse or family. That is not ok,” Shapiro said Friday at the conclusion of an event in Luzerne County promoting investments in career and technical education and the development of Amazon data centers.
“I’ve got differences from Rob, he’s got differences from me. I’m telling you, there’s no place for political violence, I don’t care who it is directed at. So, whoever is threatening them, stand down,” Shapiro said.
Bresnahan is a first-term congressman who represents Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, which includes the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre areas.
According to The Scranton Times-Tribune, Bresnahan’s office confirmed threats were made on a registry created by a relative of the congressman’s fiancée, Chelsea Strub. The messages include an apparent reference to Luigi Magione who stands accused of murdering Brian Thompson, who at the time was CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
A spokesperson for Bresnahan told the outlet that Capitol Police were alerted.
The threats were made following an event, “Broken Promises Town Hall,” challenging Bresnahan’s support of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its looming impacts on district residents, including reduced spending on Medicaid, coupled with stated efforts to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the program.
“Rob and I knew what we signed up for when he decided to run for Congress to fight for Northeastern Pennsylvania. But our wedding guests didn’t sign up for these threats, and now their safety is at risk because far-left extremists have decided to politicize our wedding,” Strub wrote in a statement to The Times-Tribune. “These are the same people who openly admit that ‘there needs to be blood’ and are posting death threats on our wedding website. There is a clear line when it comes to basic decency, and this crosses it.”
Shapiro and his family were victimized by an act of political violence in April when the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence was firebombed by a Harrisburg man who cited differences over the Israel-Palestine war as inspiration for the arson attack.
Shapiro, his immediate family and guests were staying at the state mansion to celebrate the first Seder of the Jewish holiday Passover. First responders helped them safely escape and none suffered physical injuries. The mansion was badly damaged by fire and has undergone repair and restoration. The suspect, Cody Balmer, is held without bail as the case is being prosecuted.
Shapiro has expressed support for Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state but has criticized its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and called for immediate improvements to deliver aid to the citizens of Palestine, where famine is reportedly taking hold, The Philadelphia Jewish Exponent reported.
“There should never, ever, ever be a lane open for people who are trying to bring political violence to bear. My family and I have been victims of that, the firebombing of the governor’s residence about three months ago. Thank God for the first responders who saved our lives. There’s no place for that against me, there’s no place for that against the congressman, there’s no place for that in our society,” Shapiro said.