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John Fetterman skipped the first Pa. Senate debate. His rivals made it all about him anyway.
Philadelphia InquirerIn 90 minutes of jabs and jokes, both men — especially Lamb — argued that Fetterman’s decision to skip the debate was an insult to voters and a red flag for his candidacy in a critical Senate contest.
“He didn’t respect you enough to show up today,” Lamb told a crowd of about 175 people at Muhlenberg College.
And Lamb immediately brought up a 2013 incident that has loomed over Fetterman’s campaign, in which Fetterman pulled a shotgun on a Black jogger who he had wrongly suspected of a shooting.
“It was wrong when he did that,” Lamb said in his opening remarks, after telegraphing the attack in the days before. “And he skipped the debate today because he doesn’t think he has to answer. Given everything that’s gone on in this country, that is fatal to his campaign. You deserve a senator that you can trust to show up and not to act like a loose cannon.”
“He didn’t respect you enough to show up today,” Lamb told a crowd of about 175 people at Muhlenberg College.
And Lamb immediately brought up a 2013 incident that has loomed over Fetterman’s campaign, in which Fetterman pulled a shotgun on a Black jogger who he had wrongly suspected of a shooting.
“It was wrong when he did that,” Lamb said in his opening remarks, after telegraphing the attack in the days before. “And he skipped the debate today because he doesn’t think he has to answer. Given everything that’s gone on in this country, that is fatal to his campaign. You deserve a senator that you can trust to show up and not to act like a loose cannon.”
64 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Uhh, like NEVER.
Lamb voted to make the Trump tax cuts perm, voted to weaken Dodd Frank, twice voted against Pelosi for Speaker, and voted almost 70% of the time with Trump in the 115th Congress (2nd highest Dem in Congress).
The man involved in the gun incident said he wants Fetterman to win the Senate race.
Lamb, since last summer, has never been above 16% in any polls I have seen, and was a 10% in the latest one, a few days ago.
Lamb and two Dems now in the Senate, Sinema and Rosen, where the only 3 House Dems (all 3 were in the extremely problematic anti Pelosi, Lieberman-run (via its No Labels RW billionaire-founded/backed parent org) bi-partisan Problems Solvers Caucus at the time as well) to vote to make the Trump individual tax cuts perm.
So it is not hard to see why he doesn't engender a lot of trust in terms of fear he possibly becomes another Manchin or Sinema.
U.S. Reps. Conor Lamb and Keith Rothfus vote to extend GOP tax cuts for individuals
The proposed 'Tax Reform 2.0' would overwhelmingly benefit wealthy individuals and add trillions to the national debt.
https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/us-reps-conor-lamb-and-keith-rothfus-vote-to-extend-gop-tax-cuts-for-individuals/Content?oid=11083357
When Republicans in Congress passed a massive tax-cut bill in 2017, it drew widespread criticism, particularly the fact that the tax cuts were permanent for corporations, but temporary for individuals.
Now with the passage of H.R. 6760, aka "Tax Reform 2.0," those temporary cuts for individuals are one step closer to becoming permanent. In addition to extending the reduced individual tax rates past 2025, the proposal would also double the Child Tax Credit and restore cuts to estate-tax filings of about 5,000 of the richest American families.
And two local representatives, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mount Lebanon) and Keith Rothfus (R-Sewickley), backed the bill. It passed 220-191. Lamb was one of only three Democrats to back the bill.
Now with the passage of H.R. 6760, aka "Tax Reform 2.0," those temporary cuts for individuals are one step closer to becoming permanent. In addition to extending the reduced individual tax rates past 2025, the proposal would also double the Child Tax Credit and restore cuts to estate-tax filings of about 5,000 of the richest American families.
And two local representatives, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mount Lebanon) and Keith Rothfus (R-Sewickley), backed the bill. It passed 220-191. Lamb was one of only three Democrats to back the bill.
https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2018/roll414.xml
Conor Lamb upholds promise not to vote Nancy Pelosi as speaker (2019)
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/rep-conor-lamb-doesnt-vote-pelosi-for-speaker/
Democratic Congressman Conor Lamb kept a campaign promise Thursday by not voting for Nancy Pelosi for speaker of the House. Even without Lamb’s vote, Pelosi secured enough support to reclaim the speaker gavel.
Lamb, who won his first full term in Congress in November by beating Keith Rothfus in the new 17th Congressional District, had said throughout his campaigns that he would not vote for the longtime California Democrat.
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/rep-conor-lamb-doesnt-vote-pelosi-for-speaker/
Democratic Congressman Conor Lamb kept a campaign promise Thursday by not voting for Nancy Pelosi for speaker of the House. Even without Lamb’s vote, Pelosi secured enough support to reclaim the speaker gavel.
Lamb, who won his first full term in Congress in November by beating Keith Rothfus in the new 17th Congressional District, had said throughout his campaigns that he would not vote for the longtime California Democrat.
Lamb Votes Against Pelosi for Speaker (2021)
https://www.politicspa.com/lamb-votes-against-pelosi-for-speaker/96985/
For the second session in a row, Rep. Conor Lamb voted someone other than Nancy Pelosi for House Speaker.
He was the only member of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation not to support their respective party’s candidate for Speaker.
Instead Lamb (D-Allegheny) voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), a colleague seen as having a bright future in House leadership. In 2019, Lamb voted for former Rep. Patrick Kennedy III. In both cases, he was one of just a handful of Pelosi defectors.
His vote was watched closely thanks to a signature campaign promise during his 2018 special election bid. He ran ads touting his opposition to Pelosi throughout the campaign.
https://www.politicspa.com/lamb-votes-against-pelosi-for-speaker/96985/
For the second session in a row, Rep. Conor Lamb voted someone other than Nancy Pelosi for House Speaker.
He was the only member of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation not to support their respective party’s candidate for Speaker.
Instead Lamb (D-Allegheny) voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), a colleague seen as having a bright future in House leadership. In 2019, Lamb voted for former Rep. Patrick Kennedy III. In both cases, he was one of just a handful of Pelosi defectors.
His vote was watched closely thanks to a signature campaign promise during his 2018 special election bid. He ran ads touting his opposition to Pelosi throughout the campaign.
Man John Fetterman confronted with a shotgun says that should not stymie his Senate bid
https://archive.ph/dd339 (no paywall blockage)
CHRIS BRENNAN
Philadelphia Inquirer / / STAFF WRITER
A man confronted in 2013 by a shotgun-wielding John Fetterman — then mayor of Braddock, now lieutenant governor and running for the U.S. Senate — claims Mr. Fetterman has "lied about everything" that happened that day.
But Christopher Miyares, writing from a state prison in Somerset County, also told The Inquirer that incident should not stop Mr. Fetterman from becoming a senator.
"Even with everything I said, it is inhumane to believe one mistake should define a man's life," Miyares wrote in one of two letters sent to The Inquirer. "I hope he gets to be a Senator." (That last line was underlined three times.)
snip
“Telling the truth on an incident 10 years ago could cause him more harm than good,” Miyares wrote. “Mr. Fetterman and his family have done far more good than that one bad act or action and, as such, should not be defined by it.”
He signed that letter: “Gooo Fetterman.”
But Christopher Miyares, writing from a state prison in Somerset County, also told The Inquirer that incident should not stop Mr. Fetterman from becoming a senator.
"Even with everything I said, it is inhumane to believe one mistake should define a man's life," Miyares wrote in one of two letters sent to The Inquirer. "I hope he gets to be a Senator." (That last line was underlined three times.)
snip
“Telling the truth on an incident 10 years ago could cause him more harm than good,” Miyares wrote. “Mr. Fetterman and his family have done far more good than that one bad act or action and, as such, should not be defined by it.”
He signed that letter: “Gooo Fetterman.”
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/house/
Both U.S. Reps Conor Lamb and Keith Rothfus voted to weaken a Wall Street regulation
https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/rep-conor-lamb-votes-against-more-act-a-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana-federally/Content?oid=18495240
Lamb and U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-Sewickley) will square off in November. The candidates differ on many topics, including starkly different views on organized labor and the government’s role in providing health care.
But in one area, they appear to be on the same page. On April 13, both Lamb and Rothfus voted to alter the Volcker Rule in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. This rule was established after the financial crisis of 2008, and prohibits banks from making risky investments with customers’ money.
The bill that cleared the U.S. House, the Volcker Rule Regulation Harmonization Act, would exempt banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the Volcker Rule. The bill passed by a vote of 300-104, and still needs to go through the U.S. Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump before it becomes law.
The rule’s namesake, Paul Volcker, criticized a similar bill in the U.S. Senate, and told the Washington Post in March that “plausibly small loopholes can be ‘gamed’ and exploited with unfortunate consequences,” if the rule change were to become law.
But in one area, they appear to be on the same page. On April 13, both Lamb and Rothfus voted to alter the Volcker Rule in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. This rule was established after the financial crisis of 2008, and prohibits banks from making risky investments with customers’ money.
The bill that cleared the U.S. House, the Volcker Rule Regulation Harmonization Act, would exempt banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the Volcker Rule. The bill passed by a vote of 300-104, and still needs to go through the U.S. Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump before it becomes law.
The rule’s namesake, Paul Volcker, criticized a similar bill in the U.S. Senate, and told the Washington Post in March that “plausibly small loopholes can be ‘gamed’ and exploited with unfortunate consequences,” if the rule change were to become law.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/hollowing-volcker-rule/
We don't want another Manchin and Sinema...yeah we want to keep them both...but we don't need another one! 
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From that same article:
Fetterman has committed to three televised debates in late April and early May. He said he chose to participate in those debates because they’ll have wider reach. Sunday’s was broadcast on the Pennsylvania Cable Network, while the other debates are set for primetime airing on network TV.
This empty podium look has to end.
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