Two Senate Republicans defended Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) following a profile that detailed concerns from current and former staffers about his mental fitness.
The profile, originally published in New York magazine, describes his struggles after his stroke in 2022. He and at least two Republicans have deemed the report a smear.
“John Fetterman and I have our differences, but he’s a decent and genuine guy,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) wrote in a social media post. “The radical left is smearing him with dishonest, vicious attacks because he’s pro-Israel and they only want reliable anti-Israel politicians.”
“Disgraceful,” he added.
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) said, “It’s time to put politics aside and stop these vicious, personal attacks against Senator Fetterman, his wife, and his health. While we have many differences, we are both committed to working together to achieve results for the people of Pennsylvania and make their lives better.”
“He is authentic, decent, principled, and a fighter. These disgraceful smears against him are not the John that I know and respect,” McCormick said.
Fetterman maintains that he fully recovered from the stroke. The profile, however, reports some of his alleged erratic behavior, confusion, and troubling medical episodes.
“He engages in risky behavior,” his former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said in a letter to the senator’s doctor.
JOHN FETTERMAN PROFILE DRAWS CONCERNS OVER PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR’S POLITICAL FUTURE
Fetterman has spoken out against the piece, calling it a “one-source hit piece, and it involved maybe two or three anonymous disgruntled staffers saying just absolutely false things.”
The report cited his former chief of staff and multiple other staffers who worked in his congressional office.