Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is reportedly pushing back hard against a viral Wall Street Journal report that leveled explosive allegations against him, accusing the paper of publishing a hit piece built on lies from disgruntled former staffers.
In a statement to CNN, Fetterman blasted the article, saying it was, per usual, full of lies, half-truths, innuendos and smears sourced anonymously. He insisted that no matter how many negative stories are published about him, he remains proud to keep delivering for Pennsylvania.
The Journal’s report detailed a series of allegations, including claims that Fetterman routinely avoids constituents and skips out on Senate business. One of the most pointed allegations involved his reaction to the planned length of a funeral for three police officers who were killed in the line of duty. According to text messages cited by the Journal, when told the service would run three hours, Fetterman responded that it might be a nonstarter.
Fetterman told CNN that he expressed his condolences to the families in other ways. He said that on the day of the tragedy, he privately arranged for flowers to be delivered to the officers’ families and publicly offered his condolences. He added that in June, he privately attended a Tunnel to Towers fundraiser in York, Pennsylvania, held for the families, where he met directly with the officers’ police chief and relatives to offer his personal sympathies.
The Journal also reported that Fetterman skipped a planned meeting with three paralyzed Pennsylvania veterans who wanted to discuss healthcare legislation. According to the report, Fetterman’s staff told the veterans he wasn’t feeling well, but he reportedly showed up in his office about an hour later appearing fine and then sat for a Fox News interview.
Fetterman disputed the characterization in his statement to CNN, saying it had been his intention to meet with the veterans as planned. He said that prior to the meeting he was at home sick and vomiting, so he asked his staff to proceed with the meeting on his behalf, which they did. He said that hours later, he felt well enough to resume his scheduled activities for the day.
The dueling accounts leave Fetterman and the Journal at odds over the senator’s conduct, with the Pennsylvania Democrat maintaining that the report distorts his record while standing by his defense that illness, not indifference, explained his absence from the veterans meeting.
