Latest news with #ThePhiladelphiaInquirer
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fetterman Hits Back at ‘Weird Smear' After Call to Step Aside Over Mental Health
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman pushed back against criticism as he faces ongoing questions about his mental health and job performance in Washington. The Democratic lawmaker appeared alongside his fellow Pennsylvania Senator David McCormick on Monday and rejected accusations that he is not engaged in his job. 'For me, it's very clear, it's just part of this weird, this weird smear,' Fetterman said. The senator said he's been getting 'incoming' over his stance on Israel, the border, and not voting to shut the government down. He pushed for the conversation to move during his appearance in Boston at 'The Senate Project', which aired on Fox Nation. 'I'm here. I'm doing my job. I'm defending on all those things, and all of those important votes, I've always been there,' Fetterman said. 'And for me, if I miss some of those votes, I mean some of those votes, I've made 90 percent of them, and we all know those votes that I've missed were on Monday. Those are travel days, and I have three young kids,' Fetterman continued. He dismissed counts he had missed as 'throwaway procedural votes,' which were not important. Fetterman's comments came after a scathing op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday in which the paper's editorial board wrote he 'must take his position seriously.' It noted the series of recent reports of erratic behavior, the senator missing and canceling meetings, and not showing up for more votes than nearly every other senator in the past two years. '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,' it wrote. The editorial is the latest in an avalanche of Fetterman criticism since a bombshell New York Magazine report a month ago detailed former staffers raising alarms over the senator's mental state. Fettrman blasted it as a hit piece. On Monday, Fetterman claimed Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Patty Murray missed more votes than him. 'Why aren't the left media yelling and demanding them and claiming they're not doing their job?' Fetterman asked. According to tracking by Fetterman missed 174 out of 961 roll call votes, or 18.1 percent of votes from February 2023 to May 2025 and more than 21 percent of the votes in the last Congress. It noted that it is much worse than the median of 2.9 percent of votes senators have missed. Since taking office in 1993, Murray has missed 2.6 percent of votes, and 1.6 percent of votes in the last Congress. Sanders has missed 13.4 percent of votes since 1991, or 9.4 percent of votes in the last Congress.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fetterman claims media trying to ‘smear' him over missed votes, absences
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) says the media is trying to 'smear' him over missing votes and committee hearings in the Senate, firing back at an editorial in The Philadelphia Inquirer that argued Fetterman needs to put more effort into his job or resign from Congress. Asked about the harsh op-ed during a debate in Boston on Monday, Fetterman called it a 'weird smear.' 'It's just part of like this weird — this weird smear,' Fetterman told 'Fox News Sunday' anchor Shannon Bream, who moderated a debate between the Pennsylvania Democrat and Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.) at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. 'The more kinds of — left kind of media continues to have these kinds of an attack,' Fetterman said. 'And it's just part of a smear and that's just not … it's just not accurate. 'And we've moved on and why we're still having this conversation — why at this point?' he asked. The debate was co-hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and aired on Fox Nation. The Inquirer noted in its critical appraisal of Fetterman's track record that he has missed more votes than nearly every other senator in the past two years and regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings and avoids Democratic caucus lunches. The editorial observed that six former Fetterman staffers told an Inquirer reporter that Fetterman was frequently absent or spent hours alone in his office, avoiding colleagues and meetings. '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,' the paper argued. 'Being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement. Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement.' Fetterman defended his missed votes as the result of a conscious choice to spend more time with his family, and he previously dismissed Monday afternoon 'bed-check' votes as procedural minutia that don't necessarily require his participation. 'If I miss some of those … votes, I've made 90 percent of them, and we all know those votes that I've missed were on Monday. Those are travel days,' he said. 'And I have three young kids and … those are throwaway procedural votes that they were never determined if … they were important. That's a choice that I made,' he added. Fetterman pointed out that Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have also missed multiple Senate votes in recent months as Sanders has traveled the country rallying opposition to President Trump's agenda and Murray traveled home to care for her husband while he was in the hospital. 'If you want to attack me for that, go ahead,' he said of his attendance record. 'But I'd like to point out that, you know, Bernie and Sen. Murray missed more.' 'So why aren't the left media yelling and demanding them and claiming they're not doing their job and those kind of thing[s]? Just be genuine on that,' he said. A spokesperson for Murray said many of the Washington senator's 'missed votes were during a single evening of votes' when the Senate held a long vote-a-rama. 'Senator Murray was caring for her husband while he was in the hospital and was prepared to return to the floor if her vote might have been determinative,' the spokesperson said. She missed 32 votes in one week because of time spent caring for her husband. Fetterman has come under intense scrutiny since New York Magazine published a long article about his former staff members' concerns about what they viewed as erratic and potentially dangerous behavior. According to New York Magazine, the senator's former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, wrote a 1,600-word email to Fetterman's doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center warning that 'John is on a bad trajectory and I'm really worried about him.' The former staffer said he was concerned that Fetterman won't be 'with us for much longer.' Fetterman said last month that former employees who have expressed their concern about his behavior to the media have a 'bizarre grudge' against him. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Democratic Senator Berated by Newspaper From His Own State for Missing Votes, Avoiding His Colleagues: 'Serve or Step Away'
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is facing blistering criticism from one of the major newspapers in his home state, which accused him of neglecting his Senate duties and called on him to "serve or step away." In an editorial, The Philadelphia Inquirer slammed Fetterman for missing more votes than almost any other senator over the last two years and for isolating himself from colleagues and the public. Multiple former staffers have raised red flags about his disengagement and mental fitness, citing erratic behavior, a string of senior staff resignations and minimal in-person interaction on Capitol Hill. While Fetterman has defended his absences as time spent with family and criticized the scrutiny as an attack on his mental health, the newspaper emphasized that public service comes with accountability—especially during a time of political volatility. Fetterman, who was elected to the Senate in 2022, previously suffered a stroke while on the campaign trail, and has discussed his battles with clinical depression. The senator now faces mounting pressure not only from media outlets but also from within political circles to either step up his level of engagement or resign. The editorial called out his international travel and TV appearances as signs that he is selectively prioritizing visibility over governance. "Other senators travel overseas but also show up for work in Washington and meet with constituents in their home state. Public service is not about serving yourself," the Inquirer's editorial board wrote. "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away." Fetterman's continued resistance to holding town halls or engaging directly with constituents is fueling public frustration. As the 2026 midterms approach, questions around Fetterman's ability and willingness to perform the full scope of his role could become a flashpoint in Pennsylvania politics. Originally published on Latin Times
Arabian Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
AI Missteps Erode Trust in Newsrooms
Major news organisations are grappling with the fallout from deploying artificial intelligence in content creation, as instances of fabricated material and misattributed authorship surface, raising concerns over journalistic integrity. The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer faced backlash after publishing a summer reading list featuring non-existent books and fictitious expert quotes. The content, syndicated by King Features and crafted by freelance writer Marco Buscaglia using AI tools, included fabricated titles like 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende. Both newspapers have since removed the content and issued statements condemning the breach of editorial standards. Similarly, Sports Illustrated encountered criticism for publishing articles under fake author names, with AI-generated headshots and biographies. The Arena Group, its publisher, attributed the content to third-party provider AdVon Commerce, asserting that the articles were human-written but acknowledging the use of pseudonyms. The controversy led to the dismissal of CEO Ross Levinsohn and mass layoffs, following the revocation of the magazine's publishing license.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hikers Discover Porsche Panamera Mysteriously Blocking Trail in the Middle of the Woods
The 21st Century's addition of sedans, station wagons and SUVs to the Porsche lineup have made the cars from Zuffenhausen far more omnipresent than they were back in the days when the company only made two-door speed machines. Still, there are some places where it remains surprising to see one — like, for example, abandoned in the middle of the woods, blocking a hiking trail. Last Monday, a Facebook user named Kayley Clare posted on the Roxborough Rants & Raves Facebook page a picture of a blue Porsche Panamera in the middle of a woody trail in Philadelphia's Wissahickon Valley Park. With that post, the questions — and theories — began to pour in. Was someone trying to hide the car from the repo man? Was it stolen? Was it used in a crime and dumped there? The Philadelphia Inquirer began to investigate, and discovered that despite the bizarre scene, nothing nefarious was going on. According to their reporting, the Panamera's 84-year-old driver made a series of wrong turns on Sunday night and wound up driving roughly a mile deep into the park, ending up on the Orange Trail before stopping and calling for help. Obviously, the man made a big mistake. However, we can't help but be a little bit impressed. According to the Friends of the Wissahickon website, the Orange Trail has an average width of just three feet and a maximum obstacle height of 24 inches. The trail has an 11% grade and is made up of dirt and rock. The car, meanwhile, appears to be a 971-generation Panamera — a capable car for sure, but not the sort of vehicle you'd usually associate with off-roading of any sort, let alone the kind where many Land Rover drivers would hesitate to car was pulled off the trail on Tuesday, and a video of the rescue was shared on The Philadelphia Inquirer's social media channels In the clip, an ATV uses a winch to help pull the car along the trail, giving a sense of just how narrow the path is. The driver is extremely embarrassed over the whole situation, according to the Inquirer. But thankfully, no injuries were reported, and no crime was committed. Now if you'll excuse us, this incident has us daydreaming about a 911 Dakar-style Panamera build... You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
