Fetterman Says He's Being Shamed Into Showing Up , his mental health issues have been weaponized against him
Fetterman Says He's Being Shamed Into Showing Up
Under scrutiny, senator maintains his mental health issues have been weaponized against him
Sen. John Fetterman has been showing up for Senate duties more often lately, but not because he wants to. After suffering a stroke and being hospitalized for six weeks for treatment of depression, the Pennsylvania Democrat says he's being shamed into attending committee hearings, casting procedural floor votes, and performing the other day-to-day work of a senator. The reason for the change, Fetterman told the New York Times, is that "people in the media have weaponized" his absences to cast him as mentally unfit for the job.
He had just decided to spend more time at home instead of performing mundane tasks in the Capitol, Fetterman said. He calls being away from his family the worst part of the job. "I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date," he said. And Fetterman said it bothers him that people have used his decision to seek treatment against him. "My doctor warned years ago: After it's public that you are getting help for depression, people will weaponize that," he said in the interview. "Simple things are turned. That's exactly what happened."
https://www.newser.com/story/369210/his-struggles-have-been-weaponized-fetterman-says.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'm really disappointed in John Fetterman. I held my powder hoping he was just feeling his way around, new job, new responsibilities. The trip to Mar-a-Lago didn't sit well with me but again, I thought, the man has always gone his own way.
But this article (if accurate) smacks of entitlement. I'm guessing a number of US Senators have kids and kid-oriented functions (the daughter and Dad event) or have ailing parents, spouses, relatives with whom they'd like to spend time with. But if every Senator insisted on being absent for procedural votes, committee meetings or whatever, then the Senate's functions would be hampered, even grind to a halt. We're having a hard enough time holding the government together as it is.
Big John is a freshman Senator. He's been in the job for less than 4 months and yet has racked up 29 missed votes and holds the Senate's 3rd worst record for absenteeism (would love to know numbers 1 & 2).
So yes, disappointment for someone I supported and for whom I had great enthusiasm.
Damn! 
I know you've held your powder dry.. Mahalo for your post.. one thing though..
John Fetterman became a Senator in 2021..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fetterman
No Kings Hands Off! 
💙🌈
That 4 years went by awfully fast! A Blur! I had to make sure.. looked it up.
Always Glad to help.. 
Girlfriend! 
So he has zero interest in the day-to-day aspects of the job, the “performative” votes, interactions with fellow Dems, and won’t do town hall meetings with the constituents he supposedly represents because someone might challenge him on these issues… but he thinks he’s still worth the salary *we* are paying him to have daddy-daughter time and resents any suggestion that refusing to be there to do his job are simply attacks on his mental health issues?
JFC. Get a fucking grip, Fetterman… 
