John Fetterman has kept a light schedule as lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, a sticking point as he fiercely battles Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz for the Senate, records show.
As he touts his record of tinkering with the office on the campaign trail, records indicate that Fetterman frequently kept a light schedule during his stewardship of the $179,000-a-year post. About one-third of his daily schedule for workdays between January 2019 to May 2022 was left blank, according to a review by the Associated Press.
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“Not showing up for work was No Show Fetterman’s trademark as Lieutenant Governor AND as Mayor of Braddock. He couldn’t be trusted to show up and work for the people of Braddock or the people of Pennsylvania,” declared Brittany Yanick, communications director for Oz’s Senate campaign. “Pennsylvanians can’t trust Fetterman to represent us.”
During days when Fetterman’s schedule was active, his workday often spanned between four and five hours, according to the outlet. He also frequently played hooky on state business such as overseeing the state Senate.
Fetterman suffered a stroke in May, which he claims nearly killed him and left him straddled with a speech impairment. But the review assessed his schedule prior to the stroke.
A spokesperson for Fetterman disputed the report, decrying it as a “misleading and inaccurate reflection of John’s actual schedule that totally fails to capture the breadth of his official work and his accomplishments,” per the outlet.
Outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf similarly defended Fetterman, contending that while the lieutenant governor has “limited responsibilities,” Fetterman was “a dedicated public servant who has supported my priorities over the past four years.”
The report added fodder to Oz’s campaign, which has begun unleashing a deluge of scathing ads against Fetterman in the midterm homestretch, panning him on crime, financial assistance he received from his parents, and other campaign flashpoints.
“Give me a break. I’m not going to be lectured about ‘showing up’ by someone who: Just showed up in PA last year to run for office. Hasn’t even been to all 67 counties. Is LITERALLY in California today raising money from billionaires,” Fetterman shot back to Oz on Twitter.
Give me a break. I’m not going to be lectured about “showing up” by someone who:
– Just showed up in PA last year to run for office
– Hasn’t even been to all 67 counties
– Is LITERALLY in California today raising money from billionaires https://t.co/JKw3f6WjuL— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) October 6, 2022
The review may not capture the full breadth and scope of his work as lieutenant governor. His tenure was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, which hampered public appearances and events.
Fetterman began the general election sprint with a considerable polling edge over Oz, deploying a savvy social media campaign against him, caricaturing him as an out-of-touch carpetbagger. He recently seized on reports that Oz participated in research in which 300 dogs were killed.
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But polling has tightened in recent weeks, with Fetterman still clinging to a 4.3-percentage-point lead over Oz in the latest RealClearPolitics polling aggregate. The Cook Political Report recently shifted its rating in the race from “leans Democrat” to “toss-up.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to a Fetterman spokesperson for comment.
