GOP Lawmaker Rips Fetterman’s ‘Outrageously Disloyal’ Ex-Staffers After WSJ Bombshell: ‘They Want to Silence Him’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., left, and Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., right, greet before participating in a debate moderated by Fox News anchor Shannon Bream, not shown, Monday, June 2, 2025, at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Boston, as livestreamed on Fox Nation. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) damned former staffers of his Congressional colleague, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) as “outrageously disloyal” after a stunning report in The Wall Street Journal claimed in part that Fetterman griped about a funeral for slain police officers and blew off a meeting with paralyzed veterans.
McCormick spoke out Sunday evening in a post on X.
“These stories are the latest example of outrageously disloyal staff and forces on the Left using anonymous leaks to cancel my friend John Fetterman. They hate that he is an independent thinker who refuses to fall into line so they want to silence him,” he wrote.
“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.”
Fetterman allegedly canceled a June meeting with paralyzed veterans who had gone to Washington, D.C., to meet him before doing a Fox News interview later in the day, former staffers claimed to the WSJ, and had described a lengthy funeral for three slain Pennsylvania cops as a “nonstarter.”
The allegations sparked widespread condemnation, including from those who slammed Fetterman as “lazy” and “a disgrace.”
Fetterman fired back Sunday in a statement to CNN, calling the Wall Street Journal bombshell a “hit piece from disgruntled staffers.”
“Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,” Fetterman said in a statement to the network, adding, “No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania.”
He defended his actions to CNN, saying he privately met with the families of the slain officers and sent flowers, while later “privately” attended a fundraiser for the families.
And in terms of the paralyzed vets — who had sought to discuss legislation with Fetterman which impacted their care — he also had an explanation.
“It was my intention to meet with the group,” Fetterman said in the statement to CNN. “Prior to the meeting I was at home throwing up, so I asked my staff to continue with the meeting which they did. Hours later, I felt well enough to continue the day as scheduled.”
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