Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman faces an ultimatum from his hometown newspaper: fulfill his senatorial duties or step down amid mounting concerns about his mental health and job performance.
Key Takeaways
- The Philadelphia Inquirer has called on Senator John Fetterman to either perform his duties effectively or step aside, citing concerns about his mental health and repeated absence from important senatorial responsibilities.
- Fetterman has missed 29 of 236 votes since January, the third-worst record in the Senate, and has been described by former staffers as “disengaged” and difficult to work with.
- The Senator spent six weeks hospitalized for clinical depression in 2023 following his stroke in 2022, raising questions about his ability to fulfill his six-year term.
- Fetterman has become increasingly isolated from Democratic colleagues, skipping the weekly caucus lunch and quitting the caucus group chat while defending his absences as prioritizing family over “performative” duties.
- His moderate stances, particularly on Israel and border security, have alienated progressive supporters who once defended him during his 2022 campaign.
Pennsylvania’s Major Newspaper Delivers Harsh Critique
The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board has delivered a scathing assessment of Senator John Fetterman’s performance, urging him to either commit fully to his role or resign his position. In their June 1 editorial, the board highlighted Fetterman’s pattern of disengagement, including his absence from votes, committee hearings, and constituent town halls. The editorial represents a significant shift in tone from a publication based in Fetterman’s home state and reflects growing concerns about the senator’s ability to fulfill his duties to Pennsylvania voters.
Former staffers have painted a troubling picture of Fetterman’s condition, with one recently departed staff member telling The Inquirer, “It’s pretty impossible to overstate how disengaged he is.” These accounts describe a senator who appears detached from his responsibilities and difficult to work with. Particularly concerning was an anecdote about Fetterman being found alone outside the Capitol and nearly being struck by a car, raising serious questions about his well-being and capacity to serve effectively in one of the nation’s highest legislative offices.
Health Struggles and Mounting Absences
Senator Fetterman’s health challenges have been well-documented since his stroke during his 2022 campaign and subsequent hospitalization for clinical depression in early 2023. The senator spent approximately six weeks in treatment, raising questions about his ability to fulfill a six-year Senate term. Since January, Fetterman has missed 29 of 236 votes, giving him the third-worst attendance record in the Senate. While he defends these absences as necessary for his health and family commitments, critics argue they represent a failure to fulfill his basic senatorial responsibilities.
“My doctor warned years ago: ‘After it’s public that you are getting help for depression, people will weaponize that,'” Sen. John Fetterman told the New York Times. “It shook me that people are willing to weaponize that I got help.”
Fetterman has become increasingly isolated from his Democratic colleagues, no longer attending the weekly caucus lunch and quitting the caucus group chat. His prioritization of family time over what he considers “performative” Senate duties has drawn criticism from those who expect full engagement from their elected representatives. “I would go visit my dad instead of a throwaway vote,” Fetterman told the New York Times, justifying his absences as choices between meaningful family time and procedural votes he deems unimportant.
Fetterman Dismisses Criticisms as “Smear Campaign”
In response to the growing criticism, Fetterman has forcefully rejected the concerns about his performance, labeling them as politically motivated attacks. During a recent Fox Nation debate with Senator Dave McCormick, Fetterman dismissed The Inquirer’s editorial as “this weird smear” and suggested the criticism stems from his moderate positions on issues like Israel and border security, which have alienated some progressive supporters who once defended him during his 2022 campaign.
“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,” wrote The Inquirer’s editorial board in their pointed critique of the senator.
Despite taking two all-expenses-paid trips to Israel and making television appearances, Fetterman has reportedly avoided holding town halls with constituents due to fear of being heckled. “He’s taken two all-expenses-paid trips to Israel, but can’t drive down the street and hold a town hall,” a former staffer told The Intercept, highlighting the contradiction between Fetterman’s selective engagement and his claimed inability to fulfill routine senatorial duties. As pressure mounts and questions about his capability persist, Pennsylvanians are left wondering whether their junior senator can effectively represent their interests for the remainder of his term.
