(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Hamas supporters were seething after Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., appeared to dismiss the demands of an anonymous letter from congressional staffers urging the promotion of a ceasefire in Gaza, the Washington Examiner reported.
Adam Jentleson, Fetterman’s chief of staff, sent an email to his team after the publishing of the letter to remind members of his staff, that they were prohibited from making public statements on policy issues—particularly on social media.
“As staffers, it is important for us to remember that while we all feel passionately about a lot of issues, we are here to serve John and the people of Pennsylvania,” Jentleson said in the memo.
“As the saying goes, our names are not on the door,” he added. “In this line of work, it is great to find a member who aligns with your values, however it is rare if not impossible to find one that aligns 100%.”
Jentleson recommended that the staff take the time to try and inform their boss’s point of view if they disagreed with him.
Though not stated explicitly, it is generally frowned upon for members of staff to make public statements directly against the office they are employed under.
Capitol Hill operates this way as a whole, especially as many lawmakers would prefer not to hire employees who speak against them.
Although an anonymous public statement like the one the published last week, which purported to be from hundreds of Jewish and Muslim staffers, is rare if not unprecedented, it appears the lack of response has left some of the Democrat staffers in a tizzy.
With the exception of a few radical lawmakers in each chamber, most Democrats have publicly expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself, backing the official position of the Biden administration toward America’s longstanding ally after Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre left some 1,300 innocent Israelis dead.
“Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire,” Fetterman posted on Twitter. “We must support Israel in efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children.”
Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire. We must support Israel in efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children.
Hamas does not want peace, they want to destroy Israel. We can talk about a ceasefire after Hamas is neutralized.
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) October 18, 2023
