Fetterman Attempts To Defend His Energy Policy Position in Pennsylvania Senate Debate

MODERATOR: “Thank you, Lisa. With that, let’s get started, Mr. Fetterman, we’re going to begin with you. Your political experience includes serving as the mayor of Braddock, a small borough near Pittsburgh, and one term as lieutenant governor. You’re running for a seat that could decide the balance of power in Washington. What qualifies you to be a U.S. senator? You have 60 seconds.”

FETTERMAN: “Hi. Good night, everybody. I’m running to serve Pennsylvania. He’s running to use Pennsylvania. Here’s a man that spent more than $20 million of his own money to try to buy that seat. I’m also having to talk about something called the Oz rule, that if he’s on TV, he’s lying. He did that during his career on his TV show. He’s done that during his campaign about lying about our record here, and he’s also lying, probably, during this debate. And let’s also talk about the elephant in the room. I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that. And I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together, but it knocked me down, but I’m gonna keep coming back up. And this campaign is all about to me — is about fighting for about fighting for everyone in Pennsylvania that ever got knocked down, that needs to get back up, and fighting for all forgotten communities all across Pennsylvania that also got knocked down that needs to keep get back up.”

LISA SYLVESTER (Moderator): In an op ed you wrote quote Is time we crack down on the big price gouging corporations making record profits while jacking up prices for all of us. How do you plan to do this, sir? You mentioned price — going after price gouging corporations. How do you plan to do this? You have 30 seconds.

FETTERMAN: exactly. We have to keep pushing back on that. And he would never make that choice to fight for — for families here in Pennsylvania. You know, he has never met an oil company that he doesn’t swipe right about. You know, he has never been able to stand up for working families all across Pennsylvania. You know, we must push back. Inflation has hurt Americans and Pennsylvania’s families and it has given the oil companies record profits.

OZ: “This is an extreme position on energy. If we unleashed our energy here in Pennsylvania, it would help everybody. Why John Fetterman is so rigidly stuck on fighting against energy companies is stunning to me, because it’s the jobs I want, tens of thousands of high-paying jobs to help Pennsylvanians.”

SYLVESTER: “Thank you, Mr. Oz.”

FETTERMAN: “Oz rule. You know, I absolutely support fracking. In fact, I live across the street from a steel mill and they were going to frack to create their own energy in order to make them more competitive. I support that, living closer to anybody else in Pennsylvania for fracking to myself. I believe that we need independence with energy and I believe I’ve walked that line my entire career. I believe Democrats — “

SYLVESTER: “Mr. Fetterman, I do have a specific question which you can continue on this topic, but you have made two conflicting statements regarding fracking. In a 2018 interview, you said, quote, ‘I don’t support fracking at all. I never have.’ But earlier this month, you told an interviewer, quote, ‘I support fracking. I support the energy independence that we should have here in the United States.’ So, Mr. Fetterman, please explain your changing position. 60 seconds.”

FETTERMAN: “I’ve always supported fracking. And I always believe that independence with our energy is critical. We can’t be held, you know, ransom to somebody like Russia. You know, I’ve always believed that energy independence is critical and I’ve always believed that. And I do support fracking. Never taken any money from their — the industry, but I support how critical it is that we produce our own energy and create energy independence.”

OZ: “I must correct the record. He — “

SYLVESTER: “Just a second, Mr. Oz. I do want to clarify something. You’re saying tonight that you support fracking, that you’ve always supported fracking. But there is that 2018 interview that you said, quote, ‘I don’t support fracking at all.’ So how do you square the two?”

FETTERMAN: “Oh... I do support fracking. And I don’t — I don’t — I support fracking and I stand — and I do support fracking.”

SYLVESTER: “Okay. Thank you, Mr. Fetterman.”