John Fetterman Trashed In Home State Newspaper: 'Step Away'

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has been accused of neglecting his duties in his home state newspaper.
The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board published an opinion piece on Sunday that said if Fetterman wants to continue as a U.S. senator, he "must take his position seriously."
"Public service is not about serving yourself," the board's piece concluded. "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away."
Newsweek has contacted Fetterman's office for comment via email.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 2025.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 2025.Why It Matters
Fetterman's victory in 2022's Senate race was cause for celebration for Democrats, flipping a seat that was key to the party holding a majority in the Senate. He ran as a hero to progressives, but his rightward shift on some issues as a senator has led some former supporters to disavow him. He has drawn rebukes from progressives over his staunch support of Israel in its war in Gaza and angered his fellow Democrats for arguing his party needs to work with President Donald Trump.
He has also faced concerns about his health since his 2022 Senate run, when he suffered a stroke. He checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for clinical depression shortly after he was sworn in to the Senate.
Several current and former staffers expressed concern about Fetterman's mental and physical health in a New York Magazine report in May that Fetterman dismissed as a "one-source hit piece."
What To Know
The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece said Fetterman has missed more votes than nearly any other senator in the past two years, regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings, avoids daily caucus lunches with colleagues, and rarely goes on the Senate floor.
It also said that Fetterman, like some Republican elected officials, is also avoiding holding town hall meetings with constituents "for fear of being heckled."
It noted that while Fetterman dismissed the New York Magazine report, other media outlets have "confirmed Fetterman's erratic behavior through multiple sources, including The Inquirer."
The Inquirer reported in May that Fetterman had yelled at several representatives of a teachers' union and banged his fists on the table after they pressed him to do more to push back on cuts to federal education.
The piece also criticized Fetterman for justifying his decision to skip committee work and procedural work that he described as "performative" in a recent interview with The New York Times. Fetterman also said he had missed votes he considers a waste of time to spend time with his family or visit his father, who recently had a heart attack.
"Senators often work long nights in Washington. But they also have flexible schedules and enjoy plenty of time off from Washington, since there are only an average of 165 legislative days," the opinion piece says. "Many of Fetterman's constituents would like to work half a year so they, too, could spend time with their families. Safe to say, many would do it for less than Fetterman's salary of $174,000, which is more than double the nation's median household income."
It also criticized Fetterman for having time to meet with Trump, travel overseas and appear on talk shows but not make time for his constituents.
"Fetterman has not had much time for Washington or Pennsylvania. But he found time to jet down to Mar-a-Lago to schmooze with Trump," it said.
"Fetterman has flown to Israel twice in the past year, including a recent all-expense-paid junket to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of war crimes and corruption. He and his wife flew first class and stayed in five-star hotels as part of a fact-finding mission that cost $36,000 and was paid for by a New York-based nonprofit."
What People are Saying
The opinion piece also said: "Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny. If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside.
"After all, being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement. Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement."
Daniel Pearson, editorial writer for The Inquirer wrote on X: "Showing up to work is not performative, Senator Fetterman."
Senator Fetterman told The New York Times in a recent interview that he has been shamed into fulfilling senatorial duties.
He said he was "showing up because people in the media have weaponized" his absenteeism to portray him as mentally unfit. He added: "The votes I missed were overwhelmingly procedural; they're even called 'bed check' votes. I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date."
What's Next
Fetterman has not publicly responded to The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece.
He is likely to continue facing scrutiny in the coming weeks and months. Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028.