Fetterman says he could take Senate Democrats hostage after midterms

John Fetterman lied about his political self at the Texas Tribune's annual Trib Fest, and probably didn't get much pushback. Even worse, he's indicated he could hold Pennsylvania and national Senatorial Democrats hostage after the midterm elections.

In a statement earlier this month, Fetterman said he would “still be the 51st vote that I ran on” if Democrats take the Senate, referring to the tie-breaking vote. But closing out the festival, he said speculation about the next Congress was irrelevant until after the November election. “Wait till the midterms. See what I do,” Fetterman said. “Let’s revisit after the midterm and see what happens if I happen to be 51.”

Great: Dems will have another Yachtsman Joe Manchin in their midst, and will probably coddle him as much as Manchin.

Meanwhile, as part of the hostage-taking, he's already all but daring Dems to expel him from the party, as part of a longer conversation, that starts with just how much he has one foot in the Keystone State GOP tank, starting here:

Nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvania Democrats view Fetterman unfavorably, according to a poll conducted last month by The New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena University. Although Pennsylvania Republicans view him more favorably than they do their GOP senator, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, Fetterman said he has “no path as a Republican.”

Then this:

Fetterman’s trip to Texas comes less than three weeks after he introduced McCormick in a surprise video at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas.

OK now. 

Now this:

It's like he's daring them. 

“If the Democratic Party votes me out or expels me, they’re always entitled to do that,” he continued.

He also had a telling Freudian slip, when asked by an audience member, but NOT the moderator, why he didn't flip:

“Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” he said, raising his hand to his head, embarrassed after he realized the slip. “I guarantee you that will break through. That will get clipped.”

Oops. 

Meanwhile, even while daring Democrats to boot him, he's taking Republican money as I type, and he's not up for re-election this year.

Another fundraising email sent this month from the gopsquad handle came with Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah listed as the sender. It was focused on Fetterman, and began, “I just got an email from John. He's basically a Republican now.”

Oy.

Already in July, he was getting big bucks from Tex-ass Republican Harlan Crow. 

But Dems, even if they had a two-seat Senate majority, wouldn't have the balls to boot him.