Another one bites the dust.
Sen. John Fetterman’s steadfast support for Israel has reportedly led to the departure of six staff members in recent weeks.
According to The Intercept, a former Fetterman (D-Pa.) staffer said his staunch support of the Jewish state coincided with his “disavowal of progressive politics” and his openness toward working with President Donald Trump, who is also a firm ally of Israel.
When Fetterman campaigned in 2022, he ran as a progressive Democrat. However, he suffered a stroke in May 2022, which limited his time on the campaign trail. But voters who spoke to DVJournal after attending the event Fetterman missed that night said they supported him because he was a progressive.
But perhaps it’s just smart politics. Fetterman may have noted the country has shifted toward the right with the overwhelming support in both the popular vote and swing states for Trump in 2024. While the DelVal Democratic congresswomen opposed the Laken Riley Bill, Fetterman sponsored it in the Senate. Named for a 22-year-old nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant, that law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal aliens who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.
Fetterman has also voted for some of Trump’s cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He broke with the progressive camp to sponsor a bill to protect Jewish college students from antisemitism on campus.
But dissatisfaction among Fetterman’s progressive staffers is not new.
Last March, three of Fetterman’s communication staff also left his office for more progressive pastures, including his former communications director, Joe Calvello, who went to work for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johson. Calvello had previously worked for socialist Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).Another staffer at that time went to work for Sen. Bob Casey. Casey (D-Pa.) has since lost his seat to Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.).
Fetterman did not respond to a request to comment for this article.
