Fetterman stood up disabled veterans; scoffed at children’s hospital’s concerns: Report

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) reportedly cancelled a meeting with three disabled veterans almost a year after he dismissed concerns about funding concerns for a children’s hospital.

The Wall Street Journal published a report Wednesday that alleged the first-term Senator faked an illness to avoid meeting with the veterans, later opting to do an interview with Fox News on Israel and the war in Iran in seemingly good health.

Fetterman – who reportedly went for almost a year without participating in a public event in Pennsylvania – tried to also dodge a meeting with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

In 2025 messages with an aide, Fetterman questioned continual meetings with CHOP, writing, “Why do I have to keep having to meet with CHOP?”

“Because they are worried about vaccines and Medicaid cuts,” the aide answered.

“Well I’m not,” Fetterman wrote. “I’m convinced they just want free trips to DC.”

A report from Public Citizen in March found that the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act package last year that cut Medicaid funding put more than 400 hospitals across the country in danger of closing or reducing services.

Fetterman at the time voted against the package which included Medicaid funding cuts, saying, “I’ll keep fighting to protect health care.”

Other alleged messages from 2025, appeared to show Fetterman backing out of a funeral for police officers who were killed in the Keystone State – citing the event’s length.

“Yes it’s a very formal ceremony and the equivalent of 3 separate funerals,” an aide wrote back.

“This may be a nonstarter,” Fetterman responded.

The three officers were killed in the line of duty while attempting to serve a warrant in North Codorus Township at the time – miles away from Fetterman’s hometown.

The WSJ report noted that for the past year, Fetterman attended 26 of the 31 full hearings for his assigned committees but did not speak in 20 of them.

Fetterman’s office did not respond to The Hill’s request for immediate comment on the report.

Pennsylvania Democrats have voiced outrage about the report, with Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) calling Fetterman “a disgrace.”

“Our state deserves better than a lazy trust fund baby who is too lazy to do the job,” Boyle said on social platform X .

While the senator is not up for re-election in this midterm cycle, Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) said on Thursday , “Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028.”