Fetterman criticized for response to Senate's new dress code

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) has been ridiculed fiercely for his attire while conducting official Senate business, as he usually shows up in sloppy hoodies and gym shorts.

That's no longer a problem for the senator, as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently altered the official dress code to allow senators to wear sloppy clothing to work.

For his part, Fetterman is loving it, and as Salena Zito, National Political Reporter for the Washington Examiner pointed out, a recent vulgar tweet was evidence that Fetterman couldn't care less what's being said about him.

"I figure if I take up vaping and grabbing the hog during a live musical, they'll make me a folk hero," Fetterman posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I figure if I take up vaping and grabbing the hog during a live musical, they'll make me a folk hero. https://t.co/Tx6wTbWalJ

— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 19, 2023

Zito wrote, "At first glance, it looks like something a satirical account would issue, so I checked with Fetterman spokesman Joe Calvello to see if it was indeed the senator's account. Calvello assured me it was, so then I checked to see what the word "hog" meant in his tweet."

Calvello simply responded, "I think you can figure that out for yourself."

Zito reached out to political science professors and even Democratic operatives who believe Fetterman is handling the situation poorly, to say the least.

"I never really understood the purpose of this behavior, I guess he was making some point, but it was graphic, and it's got to straighten up. I mean, it's not good ... Nobody should dumb down the conversation, ever, because it just is another way to disrespect institutions by speaking in ways that are not befitting," said T. J. Rooney, the former chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

Zito noted that G. Terry Madonna, a political science professor at Millersville University, also agreed that the situation had turned inappropriate.

"Certainly, there's a legitimate question about dress," Madonna said. "I'm not suggesting they shouldn't have changed the dress code for members. That's a legitimate question to debate, but to bring up activities of another kind that aren't related, I mean, doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?"

According to The Daily Wire, there's growing support to reverse Schumer's dress code revision, known unofficially as the "Fetterman rule," which is being led by moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (WV).

"Next week, Senator Manchin intends to file a bipartisan resolution to ensure the Senate the dress code remains consistent with previous expectations," a spokesperson for Manchin said.

Hopefully, enough senators will come together to quash this embarrassing turn of events for the upper chamber.