Democrat candidate for Senate John Fetterman is "dangerously liberal on crime." This position is out of touch with Pennsylvanians who are concerned about the rise in violence in cities like Philadelphia.
Polling conducted by Pew earlier this year found:
70% of Philadelphians see crime, drugs, and public safety as the most important issue facing the city—up nearly 30 percentage points from 2020. The portion of residents who feel safe in their neighborhood at night dropped to 44%, the lowest since the poll’s 2009 onset. Sixty-five percent of city residents reported hearing gunshots in their neighborhood in the past 12 months. And 85% believe that gun violence in Philadelphia has gotten worse over the past three years.
You'd think polls like this would inspire candidates in Pennsylvania to prioritize law and order in their platform. Instead, Fetterman advocates for radical positions such as abolishing life sentences for convicted second-degree murderers, which he previously called a "tragedy."
Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman thinks "it’s a tragedy” that murderers get sentenced to life in prison. pic.twitter.com/A4KOVQvMwC
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 13, 2022
While serving as Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, Fetterman cast controversial votes while on Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons. The Washington Free Beacon reported on two of those decisions:
Charles "Zeke" Goldblum was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man with garden shears in a parking garage in downtown Pittsburgh and later trying to hire a hitman to kill his accomplice in the brutal murder. As lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, Senate hopeful John Fetterman voted to set Goldblum free in 2019 and said he was "happy" when the killer was released from prison last year. . .
Fetterman has voted to free "triggermen" convicted of first-degree murder. Last year, he was the only member of the board to vote to release Wayne Covington, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for killing a man for money to buy heroin. That ordeal has already made its way into GOP ads that argue Fetterman is "too far left" and "dangerously liberal on crime," suggesting Fetterman's record as chair of the board may not be the winning issue he thinks it is.
Pennsylvanians deserve a Senator who will prioritize their safety. Dr. Mehmet Oz is that person.
"Meanwhile in Pennsylvania the U.S. Senate campaign of Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D.) will be working overtime to explain his disturbing recent history on issues of crime and punishment."https://t.co/fKittdwJM3
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) September 21, 2022