Pennsylvania Sens. Dave McCormick and John Fetterman will host their first joint public event in Pittsburgh this Saturday, but not everyone is pleased with the Democratic senator’s bipartisan show of support for his Republican colleagues’ new book.
An activist group, Mondays Without McCormick Pittsburgh, is planning a protest with Indivisible Pittsburgh this Saturday, urging both Pennsylvania senators to listen to their concerned constituents and host a town hall.
Meanwhile, Fetterman’s 2022 Democratic primary contender, former Rep. Conor Lamb, piled on the accusations against the Democratic senator in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, questioning where Fetterman has been during President Donald Trump‘s second term.
“And that’s John Fetterman’s job. He should be not only speaking out, he should be listening to people, and instead, it sounds like he’s going to be listening to Dave McCormick and cheering on Dave McCormick’s book signing,” Lamb said.
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While McCormick actively shares his weekly meetings with constituents on social media, it has been more than two months since Fetterman has hosted a public event in Pennsylvania, and expected protests come amid ongoing town hall drama erupting across the United States.
Fetterman, who was the only Democratic senator willing to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago ahead of his inauguration, has been steadfast in his support for Israel and co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act, which allows ICE to detain undocumented immigrants who commit crimes in the United States. While McCormick has welcomed his counterpart’s bipartisanship, Democrats have not been so happy with Fetterman bucking his party.
“He’s been saying the same thing about Democrats now for six months, we get it,” Lamb told the Inquirer. “Democrats know we have some issues, but he has a job to do… I know that trashing the Democratic Party gets him a lot of attention, but he wasn’t put in office to be a political commentator. He was sent to office to get results.”
The Pittsburgh book tour event will include a conversation between the Pennsylvania senators and their wives – Gisele Barreto Fetterman and Dina Powell McCormick, who served as a national security advisor during Trump’s first term.
“Instead of holding town halls, they are hawking a book at a paid event at City Winery. Join us to tell them NO! NO to dismantling the Department of Education. NO to defunding SNAP and programs that feed our kids. NO to cuts to NIH which supports research for our kids and ALL of us. And NO to attacks on our democracy – the legacy we will leave our kids,” the Facebook event invite reads.
The McCormicks co-wrote their new book about mentorship, “WHO BELIEVED IN YOU?,” and the book tour is billed as a discussion of transformative mentorship “from some of the most successful leaders in the country.” According to an Eventbrite, the book tour event is $32, which includes the cost of a book at $29.99.
The Pittsburgh protesters have ridiculed the “paid book event,” which was originally planned at City Winery. The event location has since been changed to: “Location to be announced.” However, the protesters have not been deterred, vowing to gather in the Strip District.
“Our senators appear to have caught wind of the fact that their constituents want to be heard. And instead of HOLDING TOWN HALLS, they have moved their paid book event (the subject of this protest) to an UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. Please keep reading and stay tuned for a NEW LOCATION,” the Facebook page reads.
Both Democrats and Republicans have been unable to avoid the ire of constituents at town halls, including many who are displeased with Trump’s executive actions, worried about cuts to programs like Medicare and Social Security and angry at Elon Musk’s slashing of government programs and spending at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Democrats launched a coordinated effort to host “People’s Town Halls” in all 50 states after a wave of coordinated, disruptive protests led Republican leadership to advise against hosting in-person town halls. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic state parties held a total of 22 events in 13 states during the first week, the DNC told Fox News Digital Friday.
The poster for the Pittsburgh protest includes a “missing” poster – like the ones used by the Democratic Party of Florida to troll Republican congressional leaders for not hosting in-person town halls. While tension at the town halls has been along partisan lines, Pennsylvania voters have united in their dissatisfaction with the senators from across the political aisle.
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McCormick and Fetterman traded jabs during the Republican’s senatorial campaign last year, but the Pennsylvanians have put aside their differences since McCormick replaced former Sen. Bob Casey in the U.S. Senate last year. They sat for a joint interview and came together to support the Philadelphia Eagles at SuperBowl LIX, after McCormick and Fetterman agreed to “break bread” in January and met for dinner with their wives.
During an appearance on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast “TRIGGERED,” McCormick outlined his relationship with Fetterman, calling him a “voice of reason” among the Democratic Party on issues like border security, stopping the flow of fentanyl and supporting Israel.
“I trust him. I think he’s a very authentic guy.” McCormick said. “I think he’s going to be a good partner.”
McCormick and Fetterman did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.