John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Lt. Governor and Democratic Senate nominee, seemingly forgot to speak up about the eight properties he owns while filling out his federal financial disclosures, even though he has on many occasions openly mocked Dr. Mehmet Oz, his Republican rival, for owning various real estate holdings.
As stated in a release sent out on Tuesday from the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, all candidates must take the time to submit a financial statement that “provides a ‘full and complete’ statement of their assets, debts, and income, as well as any position held.” For any assets, candidates are needed to “report the complete identity and category of value of any interest in property… with a fair market value exceeding $1,000 as of the close of the reporting period.”
The foundation was able to determine via court records from the county that Fetterman himself owns a total of 8 properties in Braddock, Pennsylvania, where he worked as the town’s Mayor from a period of 2006 to 2019. Not a single one of these properties seemed to have been disclosed on the July 29th version of Fetterman’s documents.
Despite the fact that many of the properties — which sport a combined total value of $108,800 — are just empty lots that are just worth somthing between 10 and 20 thousand dollars, one of the holdings that were not put in the paperwork was a building that sported a value of over $40,000, as stated in a report from the Daily Mail. “These properties don’t produce any income and are not investment properties, so John did not need to disclose them,” explained Nicholas Gavio, a spokesperson for Fetterman.
Executive Direct Kendra Arnold of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust Executive explained via a release that Fetterman was most likely going to need to mention these properties. The group issued a letter explaining their issues to the leaders of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).
“It appears all of these properties should have been disclosed on Mr. Fetterman’s personal financial disclosure,” expressed Arnold. “Candidates are well aware of their obligation to comply with the law and have an affirmative duty to do so. Moreover, when a Senate candidate fails to comply with the disclosure laws, it is indicative as to whether they will comply with the law if elected — and it is especially concerning when they don’t.”
Fetterman, along with his campaign, has made sure to, nevertheless, openly mock Oz for his real estate holdings, which include a beachfront mansion worth $36 million located in Florida.
“A house? A property? An investment property? What? Dr. Oz is so out of touch that he doesn’t even get that real people — people who he claims he will fight for in Washington — don’t care about the difference,” expressed Emilia Rowland, a spokesperson for Fetterman, as reported by CBS News.