HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman dismissed claims from “disgruntled staffers” who were cited in a Wall Street Journal report last week.
The report claimed Fetterman has regularly skipped meetings with constituents, committee hearings, and even the funeral of three police officers who died in his hometown because he felt it was too long.
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Fetterman described the allegations as “lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous” in a statement to CNN. CBS 21 reached out to Fetterman on Friday but has not heard back.
According to CNN, Fetterman responded to specific text message exchanges published by the Journal.
Fetterman reportedly told CNN that he expressed his condolences to the police officers’ families privately and publicly. It’s unclear if Fetterman addressed the specific reason he didn’t attend the funeral.
In another reported exchange, an aide told Fetterman that representatives from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) were worried about vaccines and Medicaid cuts. Fetterman allegedly replied, “Well I’m not.”
Fetterman called that comment a “dumb joke, and for that, I sincerely apologize,” according to CNN.
Another time, Fetterman reportedly canceled a meeting with paralyzed veterans about healthcare legislation because he felt sick. He still made an appearance on Fox News for an interview hours later.
Fetterman told CNN he was throwing up at the time but later felt well enough for the interview.