BREAKING: Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman Just Announced He Will Be Choosing to Stay a Democrat de
As tensions between John Fetterman and fellow Democrats have grown since he took office in 2023, the Pennsylvania lawmaker has also developed a series of unexpected relationships with Republican senators.
With Democrats’ prospects of flipping the Senate improving ahead of November, some Republicans have signaled increasing openness toward Fetterman. Pennsylvania GOP Chair Sen. Greg Rothman suggested last month that backing Fetterman’s reelection could be possible if he switched parties.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said during an appearance with Sean Hannity that the host should encourage Fetterman to become a Republican in exchange for presidential support. Trump hosted Fetterman and his wife at Mar-a-Lago shortly after he won election to a second term in November 2024.
Despite the speculation, Fetterman has repeatedly said he has no plans to leave the Democrat Party, including in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post this week.
“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” Fetterman wrote.
“Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats,” he added, noting that his party has left him on issues it used to support such as siding with Israel and keeping the government fully funded and open.
Although Fetterman votes with Democrats most of the time, he has publicly broken with party leaders on several high-profile issues, including government shutdown disputes, the Iran conflict, immigration enforcement, and even Trump’s proposal for a White House ballroom. He has also supported Trump’s Cabinet nominees and criticized some Democrats for what he described as “Trump derangement syndrome,” a phrase commonly used by Republicans.
While many Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, have voiced support for Israel, Fetterman has been especially outspoken in criticizing the party’s far-left wing over its backing of the Palestinian cause.
In Pennsylvania, John Fetterman has recently polled significantly higher among Republicans than Democrats. A February survey found 73% of Republicans approved of his job performance, compared with 22% of Democrats.
Left-wing groups that once backed Fetterman have increasingly protested outside his office, and his staff has seen notable turnover, with some former aides publicly voicing opposition or raising concerns about his health.
Fetterman has also highlighted his bipartisan relationships, including with Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, both Republicans he has collaborated with on legislation.
He has also been spending more time socializing with Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill, according to reports cited by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
That has led to increased criticism from members of Fetterman’s party, including Shapiro, who has had a chilly relationship with the former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor. Shapiro said during a CNN interview this week Fetterman should “honor” the fact that he was elected as a Democrat.
“I don’t know what Sen. Fetterman is going to do,” Shapiro told CNN host Jake Tapper. “I know that Pennsylvanians voted for a Democrat to represent them in the United States Senate, and so I think he needs to honor that and continue with his service to Pennsylvania and hopefully get back to what he was elected to do and reflect the will of the people.”
The Inquirer noted further: “Attacks on Fetterman will likely ramp up from his own party as potential contenders gear up for the 2028 election. U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle (D, Philadelphia), Chris Deluzio (D., Allegheny), and former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, a Western Pennsylvania Democrat who lost the Senate primary to Fetterman, have all been floated as options.”
Ilhan Omar Arrested - Refused to Leave and Fought Police
Minneapolis, Minnesota - June 16, 2026
Newly released police records show that Rep. Ilhan Omar was arrested for trespassing in 2013 after refusing multiple orders to leave a Minneapolis hotel lobby. According to the Hennepin County police report, Omar became argumentative with officers and physically resisted when police attempted to escort her from the premises.
The incident occurred on January 18, 2013, after an event at the Minneapolis Convention Center featuring former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Large crowds followed the presidential convoy to the Hotel Ivy, where the president was staying. Hotel staff requested police assistance to clear the lobby, stating that only guests with room keys were permitted to remain.
When an officer approached Omar and asked her to leave, she refused. The report states that Omar was “argumentative” and stood her ground.
“As she stood her ground and refused to leave, I took hold of her left elbow to escort her from the lobby. Omar then pulled away from me, stating, ‘Don’t put your hands on me!’” the officer wrote.
Ten minutes later, the same officer found Omar seated in another area of the lobby. After being informed she would be arrested for trespassing if she did not leave, Omar again refused to comply.
The officer attempted to handcuff her while she remained seated in a chair. Omar pulled away during the arrest. She was ultimately booked into Hennepin County Jail.
“Omar was booked at [Hennepin County Jail] as I felt it was likely that she would fail to respond to a citation, and she also demonstrated that she was going to continue her criminal behavior,” the officer wrote in the report.
The newly surfaced document adds to the long list of controversies surrounding the Minnesota congresswoman.
Hannah Dugan Sentenced to 10 Years: Ex-Judge Helped Undocumented Immigrant Flee ICE in Court
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — June 16, 2026
THE SENTENCING HEARING for former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan has been postponed indefinitely as a federal court takes under advisement a high-stakes defense motion aimed at completely overturning her felony conviction.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman opted to halt the scheduled June 3, 2026 proceedings to consider extensive oral arguments regarding recent appellate case law and procedural standards that could render the baseline foundation of the government's case legally invalid.
Dugan, 67, faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison following a split verdict delivered by a federal jury in December 2025. The panel found her guilty of one felony count of obstructing an official federal proceeding but acquitted her on a misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual from arrest.
The criminal charges stem from a highly controversial April 18, 2025 incident inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and an undocumented immigrant.
"The defense maintains that the administrative execution of a standard immigration warrant does not meet the strict statutory definitions of an official federal proceeding required under obstruction laws."
The structural trial evidence demonstrated that ICE agents arrived at the county courthouse to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who had re-entered the United States illegally and was appearing before Dugan on a state misdemeanor battery matter.
According to official court testimony, Dugan confronted the agents outside her courtroom door, informing them that their administrative paperwork did not authorize a summary arrest within her state court facility. She then directed the officers to the chief judge's office before utilizing a private jury exit corridor to escort Flores-Ruiz and his defense attorney safely out of the building.
Agents remaining in the immediate vicinity observed the departure and apprehended Flores-Ruiz outside the municipal facility following a short foot chase.
Dugan resigned from her judicial seat shortly after the split jury verdict was finalized. While many legal observers originally anticipated a multi-year prison sentence if the felony conviction stood, first-time nonviolent offenders can alternatively receive probation or non-custodial outcomes depending on judicial discretion.
"The prosecution continues to push back forcefully against the request for a new trial, maintaining that the jury’s original verdict rested on sufficient, verified evidence and correctly applied federal law."
The case has commanded national attention from legal scholars as an unprecedented early test of a state court judge facing criminal prosecution for actions intersecting with federal immigration enforcement. The ongoing dispute has exposed deep rifts over the absolute authority of state jurists, courthouse safe-haven policies, and the true legal boundaries of domestic judicial discretion.
Judge Adelman did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench following the conclusion of oral arguments, stating that a comprehensive written order will follow. Consequently, the former judge's sentencing remains on hold until the court determines whether the underlying felony conviction will stand or be permanently vacated.
Maxine Waters Gets Huge Dose Of Her Own Medicine After Making Snide Remark About Speaker Candidate Jim Jordan O
Washington, D.C. - June 16, 2026
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) was loudly shouted down on the House floor Tuesday after labeling Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) an “insurrectionist” during debate over the next Speaker of the House. The outburst came as Jordan faced a difficult first ballot for the speakership.
Waters voiced support for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries before directing her remarks at Jordan. Republican members immediately drowned out her comments with shouts of opposition. One unnamed Republican was heard saying, “Huh? What did the Communist say?”
Jordan responded to the attack with a smirk but did not engage directly. The incident highlighted the sharp partisan tensions surrounding the Speaker election.
Jordan fell 17 votes short of the 217 needed to win on the first ballot Tuesday. All Democrats supported Jeffries, while several Republicans voted for other candidates. The House is scheduled to hold another vote on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET.
Jordan told reporters late Tuesday that he remains committed to securing the gavel without forming a coalition government with Democrats. “We’re gonna keep going,” he said. “No one in our conference wants to see any type of coalition government with Democrats. So we’re going to keep working, and we’re going to get to the votes.”
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told Fox News that she will continue supporting Jordan and believes momentum is building in his favor. She said anyone claiming to know exactly what will happen next is “full of it.”
The Wall Street Journal editorial board issued a sharp rebuke of the House Republican conference Tuesday night, criticizing the eight members who removed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy for failing to have a clear plan or alternative candidate.
Jordan has stated that one of his first priorities as Speaker would be to ensure Israel receives all necessary support in its war against Hamas. He said he would work with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul and the Senate on a resolution backing the Jewish state.
