Former staff members of Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman have threatened to publish private communications and other material about his conduct in office, escalating a backlash following reports that he has repeatedly avoided routine duties and meetings with constituents.
An anonymous X account, @FettermanStaff, appeared on Friday and described its organisers as former campaign and Senate aides who were “disgusted with what he’s become”. The account said a recent Wall Street Journal investigation was “the tip of the iceberg” and warned: “It’s even worse than you thought.”
Two former members of Mr Fetterman’s team confirmed that the account was genuine and said it represented a group effort. They spoke anonymously, citing the sensitivity of the material, which is expected to include screenshots of internal messages.
The group said it would publish its first release on September 14, when the Senate is due to return from its recess. It added that the publication could be delayed by a day if Mr Fetterman missed votes scheduled for the Monday evening.
Former staff threaten Fetterman disclosures
The account’s launch followed a Wall Street Journal report based on interviews with more than a dozen former staff members and lawmakers, as well as text messages and other internal records. The report portrayed the first-term Democrat as increasingly uninterested in the day-to-day work of a senator, while remaining engaged with conservative media and advocacy for Israel.
In one message attributed to Mr Fetterman, he questioned why he had to continue meeting representatives of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, known as CHOP. After an aide explained that the hospital wanted to discuss vaccines and proposed Medicaid cuts, he reportedly replied: “Well, I’m not. I’m convinced they just want free trips to DC.” The exchange has not been independently verified by The New York Times.
The Journal also reported that Mr Fetterman declined a meeting with three paralyzed veterans who had travelled to Washington, saying he was unwell, before appearing for a Fox News interview about Israel and the war in Iran. His office did not respond to requests for comment from the Journal. ([nz.news.yahoo.com](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/fetterman-disinterested-senator-often-refuses-034839125.html?utm_source=openai))
Other episodes described in the reporting included his decision not to attend the funeral of three York County police officers killed while on duty after being told the ceremony could last almost three hours.
The disclosures have intensified criticism from Pennsylvania Democrats. Representative Brendan Boyle called Mr Fetterman a disgrace and said the state deserved better, while Representative Chris Deluzio said the senator was not fit for the office and warned that Democrats would act in 2028. ([forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2026/09/04/i-truly-dont-care-report-says-fetterman-has-become-apathetic-about-his-duties-while-advocating-for-israel/?utm_source=openai))
Mr Fetterman did not respond to a text message seeking comment on Friday. His office has previously rejected criticism from former aides, with the senator describing similar claims as lies and half-truths from disgruntled staff members. ([axios.com](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-8106d190-2c57-11f0-9d0b-d7560e15853f?utm_source=openai))
The senator, who was elected in 2022 after suffering a serious stroke during the campaign, was treated for depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center shortly after taking office. He later became increasingly distant from committee work, votes and public events, while moving to the right on Israel and clashing with progressive Democrats.
A poll conducted last month by The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena University found that 69 per cent of likely Democratic voters in Pennsylvania viewed Mr Fetterman negatively. Speculation that he could leave the Democratic Party has grown, although he has said he will “never” do so.
The threatened disclosures would represent an unusual breach of the confidentiality normally surrounding the private communications of elected officials and their staff. They also underline the depth of the rupture between Mr Fetterman and many of the aides who helped him win his Senate seat.
