During an interview aired on Tuesday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” Dauphin County, PA District Attorney Fran Chardo (R) said that the alleged arsonist who attempted to attack Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) had a “focus on Palestine and the Governor’s views on Israel. So, we do believe that there was a religious bias involved, and we’re going to pursue that in our prosecution.”
Guest host Hena Doba asked, “I know your office is still looking into whether the attack was politically or religiously motivated. What have you learned thusfar?”
Chardo answered, “Well, we filed — obtained a search warrant and the affidavit speaks for itself. But there was noted in there an indication of his focus on Palestine and the Governor’s views on Israel. So, we do believe that there was a religious bias involved, and we’re going to pursue that in our prosecution.”
Doba followed up, “So, will you be charging the suspect with a hate crime as well?”
Chardo responded, “Well, in Dauphin — in Pennsylvania, we have an ethnic intimidation statute that raises the grade of an offense. But we’ve already charged five first-degree felonies, and it doesn’t get any higher than that. So, adding that offense would not increase the penalty at all. But the sentencing guidelines do have a provision for a bias-based offense, which we would use. … I should note that the defendant’s presumed innocent, and so, it would only be if he was convicted.”
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