A senator who once logged marathon days on the campaign trail is now drawing scrutiny for how he spends his time in office. The Wall Street Journal reports that Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has repeatedly skipped or canceled meetings with constituents and local officials, even as he reliably makes time for Fox News hits and Israel-focused meetings. In one June episode, three paralyzed veterans arrived for a long-planned meeting on their care, only to be told Fetterman was sick; less than an hour later, he reportedly showed up at the office seemingly healthy and ready for a Fox interview.
Internal texts reviewed by the paper show Fetterman brushing off requests from groups worried about Medicaid and vaccines and grumbling about routine constituent meetings. Former aides describe a light work schedule, a high staff turnover rate, and a senator increasingly absorbed by his hawkish stance on Israel and frequent appearances on conservative media. Committee transcripts indicate he was marked present at dozens of hearings while often saying nothing, after learning he could check in briefly and leave.
The shift has alarmed some Democrats from his own state who credit his 2022 win to relentless retail politicking, and it has fueled speculation—denied by Fetterman—that he might eventually bolt the party as his popularity rises among Republicans and sags with Democrats. Fetterman declined to answer detailed questions for this story. More here, or check out Mediaite’s compilation of the five “wildest details” from the Journal piece.