From Newsweek · · 2m
The ex-staffers coming for John Fetterman
A group of former aides built an anonymous X account with 162,000 followers and promised receipts the day the Senate returns.
In brief
A group of former aides built an anonymous X account with 162,000 followers and promised receipts the day the Senate returns. A senator's own former staff have turned into an organized opposition campaign, and the turnover data they point to is less damning than the stories they tell. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Begged to do the job
A former Fetterman staffer told Newsweek the Pennsylvania Democrat had to be pushed into basic congressional duties, backing up a Wall Street Journal report on his disengagement.
“be begged to do the basics of his job”
An account with a mission
An X account called "Former Fetterman Staffers" says it is run by ex-campaign and Senate aides. Its stated goal is making sure Pennsylvanians know who he really is.
“share our stories & make sure Pennsylvanians know exactly who [Fetterman] is”
Just the tip
The group launched on September 4 with a warning that the Journal story barely scratched the surface. Two former staffers told the New York Times the account is authentic.
“trust us, that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's even worse than you thought.”
Timed to the Senate's return
The group promised stories and screenshots on Monday, September 14, the day the Senate came back from a five-week recess. It joked Fetterman could skip the votes and delay everything.
162,000 followers, fast
The account had amassed more than 162,000 followers by Monday, weeks after launching in the wake of the Journal report.
He calls it a hit piece
Fetterman dismissed the Journal profile as the work of disgruntled staffers, telling CNN it ran on lies, half-truths, innuendo and smears from anonymous sources.
“lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears”
The children's hospital snub
Officials from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia came to discuss vaccines and Medicaid cuts and say he stood them up. Fetterman admitted the text mocking them was a dumb joke and apologized.
“just want[ing] free trips to D.C.”
An office under strain
The ex-aide described senior staff quietly containing him, limiting his contact with junior employees to shield them from the unpleasantness.
“because they wanted to protect those people from the unpleasantness that would entail”
Turnover looks worse than it is
His office ranks third in the Senate for staff departures this year, and the ex-staffer claims 75 percent are job hunting. But his turnover index of 0.27 sits just under the Senate average of 0.28.
Beloved by the other side
An August Times/Inquirer/Siena poll found 73 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans viewed him favorably against 22 percent of Democrats. Quinnipiac put Democratic approval at 19 percent.
Drifting toward the exit
Fetterman denies plans to leave the party, then turns up at the GOP's midterm convention calling himself a common-sense Democrat who rejects socialism.
“reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life”
The essence
A senator's own former staff have turned into an organized opposition campaign, and the turnover data they point to is less damning than the stories they tell.
