John Fetterman praised by Republicans after he demands expulsion of Bob Menendez just like George Santos
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Senator John Fetterman has argued that the recent expulsion of Congressman George Santos should serve as a precedent for Senator Bob Menendez.
Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, appeared on ABC’s ‘The View’ Friday morning and stated that he was "not surprised" about Santos' removal from Congress.
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However, he emphasized that there’s a much more pertinent discussion to be had, alluding to Senator Menendez, who is facing his own set of legal troubles.
“The more important picture is that we have a colleague in the Senate that actually did much more sinister kinds of things,” Fetterman said on the show.
In September 2023, an unsealed indictment accused Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
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The bribes allegedly included gold, luxury vehicles, cash, and payments toward a home mortgage, in exchange for advancing the interests of businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes, to the benefit of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
What did Fetterman say on ‘The View’?
During his appearance on 'The View' on December 1, John Fetterman was asked to share his thoughts on the expulsion of Republican Congressman George Santos from Congress earlier in the day.
“Senator Menendez needs to go, and if you are going to expel Santos, how can you allow somebody like Menendez to remain in the Senate?” Fetterman asked.
Fetterman explained, “He has the right for his day in court and all that but he doesn’t have the right to have those kinds of votes and things that — that’s not a right. And I think we need to make that kind of decision to send him out.”
"Menendez, I think is really a Senator for Egypt, not New Jersey. I really think he needs to go," he added.
Fetterman had previously called for Menendez's resignation and expressed his openness to support his expulsion if he refused to step down.
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Fetterman's comments were made following a bipartisan vote to expel Santos, who was accused of misusing campaign funds in a damning House Ethics Committee report.
In September 2023, Menendez, a senator from New Jersey, and his wife were indicted on federal bribery and extortion charges.
They were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz C-300 convertible, and home mortgage payments.
The bribes were allegedly given to the senator in exchange for using his position to benefit businesspeople and the government of Egypt between 2018 and 2022.
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In October 2023, federal prosecutors accused Menendez of secretly acting as an agent of the government of Egypt while serving as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Despite calls for Menendez's resignation, including from members of the Senate Democratic Caucus such as Cory Booker, Fetterman has voiced his objections and Menendez has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Fetterman tweeted in October, “Would it be awkward to attend a classified briefing on Israel when you’ve been accused of being a foreign agent for, let’s say, a country like Egypt. Asking for a friend,” taking shots at Menendez.
Fetterman submitted a resolution in November 2023 that would strip senators indicted on charges such as mishandling classified information or acting as a foreign agent of their committee assignments and other privileges.
In his response to the press, Senator Menendez replied to Fetterman's comments saying, "Mr. Fetterman appears to think he's judge, jury, and executioner. The junior Senator from Pennsylvania seems to be more interested in clickbait than justice."
Menendez added, "He cannot say he stands for core constitutional principles of due process and the presumption of innocence when he is actively working to undermine my rights. I'm confident when all the facts are presented, I will be exonerated and the Senator will have to eat his words."
Republicans impressed by Fetterman’s comments on Menendez
Senator Fetterman’s comment on Bob Menendez’s alleged charges of bribery made on ‘The View’ garnered praise from the opposite side of the political field.
Following Santos's expulsion, Dem Senator John Fetterman calls on the Senate to expel Sen. Menendez:
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) December 1, 2023
“If you are going to expel Santos, how can you allow somebody like Menendez to remain in the Senate?"
Country over party 👏pic.twitter.com/Ah6PYXKZdC
One X user wrote, "He’s absolutely right. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Menendez needs to go too."
He’s absolutely right. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Menendez needs to go too.
— thatpoorman P01135809 (@thatpoorman2) December 1, 2023
Another user questioned, "How is John Fetterman in the last 6 months starting to make more sense? I am not upset by it but just wondering how"
How is John Fetterman in the last 6 months starting to make more sense? I am not upset by it but just wondering how
— Justin (@wizdog16) December 1, 2023
Another user stated, "I kinda like this "new" John!"
"Senator Fetterman is right. Let both the Senate and the House begin to “clean house.”How ironic would it be if the expulsion of this POS Santos generated the return of decency to Washington?" one user asked.
Senator Fetterman is right. Let both the Senate and the House begin to “clean house.”How ironic would it be if the expulsion of this POS Santos generated the return of decency to Washington ?
— Karl Rosenfeld (@kneerecon) December 2, 2023
Another X user quipped: "I'll take every one of our elected officials dressing in shorts and hoodies if this is the honesty they speak and the country over party they adhere to."
I'll take every one of our elected officials dressing in shorts and hoodies if this is the honesty they speak and the country over party they adhere to.
— Daniel Kirby 🌊🇺🇸 (@caustic_muse) December 1, 2023
Another user wrote: "Agreed. Menendez is a national embarrassment."
"Menendez should have been expelled from the Senate the day he was indicted," a user stated.
Menendez should have been expelled from the Senate the day he was indicted.
— Joanne (@bejoan5) December 1, 2023
One user tweeted, "THIS is true. I don't care what party you are! The American people expect and deserve honesty in their lawmakers! Ones that are going to work for the benefit of US and themselves!"
THIS is true. I don't care what party you are! The American people expect and deserve honesty in their lawmakers! Ones that are going to work for the benefit of US and themselves!
— Sandra💐 Gardener, fishing, Pern series reader🌊er (@SDK_Resists) December 1, 2023