Fetterman’s Revelations About Shapiro

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D) had a candid moment during a Zoom hearing that his new memoir reveals. He called Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro a derogatory term after a heated exchange.

At that time, Fetterman was serving as the state’s lieutenant governor. He recalled how Shapiro got upset following Fetterman’s extensive speech against commuting the sentences of Lee and Dennis Horton, convicted in a 1993 robbery and fatal shooting.

The backdrop of their conflict emerged during a Pennsylvania Board of Pardons meeting. Shapiro expressed concerns over missing trial records related to his brother’s case, which irritated Fetterman. In his memoir, titled “Unfettered,” Fetterman recounts that he threatened to run against Shapiro in the 2022 gubernatorial primary.

Fetterman wrote, “I told him there were two paths: one where he ran for governor and I ran for Senate, which was the path I chose.” He insisted that he wasn’t looking for conflict but rather what he deemed justice.

The book elaborates on how Shapiro’s staff reached out, asking Fetterman to retract his statements about their private meeting, which Fetterman found inappropriate.

In December 2020, the board decided to commute the Hortons’ sentences. Fetterman later invited Dennis Horton to attend the 2023 State of the Union address.

Despite that, Fetterman’s relationship with Shapiro did not mend. He expressed his wishes for Shapiro’s success, noting, “He was a credit to the state and may one day be a credit to this country.” Fetterman reminisced about times when they weren’t focused on politics, even acknowledging how they no longer communicate.

The core issue between them stemmed from disagreements over parole and clemency decisions. Fetterman believed strongly that those he supported for clemency posed no danger to society, and was ready to jeopardize his political career for it. In contrast, he perceived Shapiro as overly cautious, and at times, he wondered if ambition played a role in Shapiro’s decisions.

Fetterman recounted a particular meeting where Shapiro voted against parole for 12 out of 15 cases, leading to Fetterman’s frustration. He broke his reading glasses in a moment of exasperation and suspected that Shapiro’s decisions were influenced by fear of potential violence from those granted parole.

On Capitol Hill, Fetterman has also had disagreements with some Democrats over his collaboration with the Trump administration and his pro-Israel views.