Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is under fire over leaked texts with his staff in which he brushed off meetings with a children's hospital and paralyzed veterans, but he is pushing back, calling the reports "smears" with support from his Republican Pennsylvania colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick.
Fetterman broke his silence following a bombshell report based on leaked text messages between him and his staff that portrayed him as brushing off basic duties of being a senator, including meetings with constituents.
Fetterman told CNN in a statement that "disgruntled" staffers had concocted the story, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, to knock his reputation.
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"Per usual - lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous," Fetterman said.
"No matter how many smears or stories, I'm proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania," he continued.
The lawmaker's response follows an explosive report published last week that painted Fetterman as a politician more interested in appearing on Fox News to discuss Israel than meeting with constituents, including a group of paralyzed veterans from his state, and opting to blow off a funeral for slain police officers because it would have taken too long.
While other Democratic members of the Pennsylvania delegation were furious with Fetterman, his fellow senator, McCormick, came to his defense.
"These stories are the latest example of outrageously disloyal staff and forces on the Left using anonymous leaks to cancel my friend John Fetterman," McCormick said on X. "They hate that he is an independent thinker who refuses to fall into line so they want to silence him."
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Fetterman and McCormick share a unique relationship in a Congress that has grown increasingly partisan. They're one of three Senate duos from a purple state, and Fetterman has vowed to not support an opponent when and if McCormick runs for re-election in 2030.
"Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend," Fetterman told reporters.
They also launched a joint fundraising effort in July, called Common Ground PA, according to federal financial filings.
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And the pair spent Labor Day together, per a post from McCormick, where they toured Bell & Evans, a chicken processing company in Pennsylvania.
"He and I will continue to work together to deliver for Pennsylvania by saving jobs at US Steel, passing a new law to make housing more affordable, securing $600 million to replace the Delaware River Bridge, and delivering critical funding to protect Presque Isle State Park," McCormick continued.
Still, members of the Pennsylvania delegation and beyond, including the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, are laying the groundwork to oust him.
Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., a progressive representing southwest Pennsylvania, charged that Fetterman's behavior was "pathetic," and said that "this man has no sense of duty."
Whether Fetterman mount a bid for re-election in 2028 remains to be seen.
"He is not up for the high office he was elected to - and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028," Deluzio said on X.
