Letter from the “Local Political Leaders” of Pennsylvania

John Fetterman
9 min readOct 30, 2022

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Dear Voters of Pennsylvania:

We the undersigned “local political leaders” write with serious concern regarding the candidacy of Dr. Mehmet Oz for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat. As local elected officials and leaders in our communities across the commonwealth, we strongly object to Oz’s statement in the U.S. Senate debate on October 25th that restrictions on Pennsylvania women’s abortion rights should be decided by “local political leaders.”

Let’s be clear: local elected leaders like us have no business getting in between a woman and her doctor — especially when it comes to some of the most personal and private health care decisions someone can make. The idea that “local political leaders” should have an equal say in a woman’s decision about how, when, and if to start a family is deeply disturbing and out of touch.

Dr. Oz’s position is especially dangerous at a time when the Republican nominee to be Pennsylvania’s next Governor, State Senator Doug Mastriano, supports a total ban on abortion — with no exceptions for rape, incest, or even life of the mother — and has even said that women who violate his proposed ban should be charged with murder. Dr. Oz has endorsed and campaigned with Mastriano.

This is part of a troubling pattern of anti-abortion extremism from Dr. Oz, who has previously called abortion “murder” at any stage of pregnancy, argued that “Roe was wrongly decided,” and celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision overturning abortion rights this summer. Dr. Oz has also repeatedly refused to rule out supporting U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s extreme legislation to ban abortion nationwide.

Unlike Dr. Oz, Lt. Governor John Fetterman has always stood up for women’s health and reproductive freedom. In the Senate, John would vote to restore abortion rights and codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. He knows these decisions belong with women and their doctors, NOT local politicians — and not politicians in Washington, either.

The future of abortion rights and women’s freedom is on the line in this race. We urge the voters of Pennsylvania to reject Dr. Mehmet Oz’s dangerous views on banning abortion by inserting “local political leaders” like Doug Mastriano in between a woman and her doctor.

Sincerely,

“Local Political Leaders” of Pennsylvania

  1. Jay Costa, State Senate Minority Leader, State Senator, District 43
  2. Tony Williams, State Senate Minority Whip, State Senator, District 8
  3. Nikil Saval, State Senator, District 1
  4. Sharif Street, State Senator, District 3; Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair
  5. Art Haywood, State Senator, District 4
  6. Vincent Hughes, State Senator, District 7
  7. Steve Santarsiero, State Senator, District 10
  8. Judy Schwank, State Senator, District 11
  9. Maria Collett, State Senator, District 12
  10. Amanda Cappelletti, State Senator, District 17
  11. Carolyn Comitta, State Senator, District 19
  12. Tim Kearney, State Senator, District 26
  13. Lindsey Williams, State Senator, District 38
  14. Wayne Fontana, State Senator, District 42
  15. Katie Muth, State Senator, District 44
  16. Joanna McClinton, State House Minority Leader, State Representative, District 191
  17. Jordan Harris, State House Minority Whip, State Representative, District 186
  18. Ryan Bizzarro, State Representative, District 3
  19. Sara Innamorato, State Representative, District 21
  20. Jessica Benham, State Representative, District 36
  21. Steve Malagari, State Representative, District 53
  22. Liz Hanbidge, State Representative, District 61
  23. Patty Kim, State Representative, District 103
  24. Thom Welby, State Representative, District 113
  25. Bridget Malloy Kosierowski, State Representative, District 114
  26. Michael Schlossberg, State Representative, District 132
  27. Tina Davis, State Representative, District 141
  28. Mary Jo Daley, State Representative, District 148
  29. Tim Briggs, State Representative, District 149
  30. Ben Sanchez, State Representative, District 153
  31. Danielle Friel Otten, State Representative, District 155
  32. Melissa Shusterman, State Representative, District 157
  33. Christina Sappey, State Representative, District 158
  34. Leanne Krueger, State Representative, District 161
  35. Mike Zabel, State Representative, District 163
  36. Gina Curry, State Representative, District 164
  37. Jason Dawkins, State Representative, District 179
  38. Malcolm Kenyatta, State Representative, District 181
  39. Brian Sims, State Representative, District 182
  40. Elizabeth Fiedler, State Representative, District 184
  41. Morgan Cephas, State Representative, District 192
  42. Danilo Burgos, State Representative, District 197
  43. Darisha Parker, State Representative, District 198
  44. Michael Pipe, Centre County Commissioner
  45. Josh Maxwell, Chester County Commissioner
  46. Marian Moskowitz, Chester County Commissioner
  47. Jean Foschi, Cumberland County Commissioner
  48. Sherene Hess, Indiana County Commissioner
  49. Loretta Spielvogel, Lawrence County Commissioner
  50. Valerie Arkoosh, Montgomery County Commissioner, Chair
  51. Kenneth Lawrence, Montgomery County Commissioner, Vice Chair
  52. Andrew Flynn, Mt. Lebanon Commissioner
  53. Mindy Ranney, Mt. Lebanon Commissioner
  54. Pam Tokar-Ickes, Somerset County Commissioner
  55. Donna Iannone, Sullivan County Commissioner
  56. Sean Kilkenny, Montgomery County Sheriff
  57. Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware County District Attorney
  58. Joanne Phillips, Delaware County Controller
  59. John Spiegelman, Abington Township Commissioner
  60. Mark Evans, Caln Township Commissioner
  61. LorraIne Tindaro, Caln Township Commissioner
  62. Josh Young, Caln Township Commissioner
  63. Daniel Norris, Cheltenham Township Commissioner, President
  64. Michael T. Muha, Hermitage City Commissioner
  65. Sheryl Forste-Grupp, Haverford Township Commissioner
  66. Kevin McCloskey, Haverford Township Commissioner
  67. Judy Trombetta, Haverford Township Commissioner
  68. Andrew Gavrin, Lower Merion Township Commissioner, Vice President
  69. Shawn Kraemer, Lower Merion Township Commissioner
  70. Mike McKeon, Lower Merion Township Commissioner
  71. Ray Courtney, Lower Merion Township Commissioner
  72. Andrew Flynn, Mount Lebanon Township Commissioner
  73. Max Cooper, Nether Providence Township Commissioner
  74. Kaitlin McKenzie, Nether Providence Township Commissioner
  75. Moira Mulroney, Radnor Township Commissioner, President
  76. Lisa Borowski, Radnor Township Commissioner
  77. AnnaMarie Jones, Radnor Township Commissioner
  78. Maggy Myers, Radnor Township Commissioner
  79. Denise Hull, Upper Gwynedd Township Commissioner, President
  80. Liz McNaney, Upper Gwynedd Township Commissioner
  81. Judith Eckles, West Norriton Township Commissioner, Vice President
  82. Anne Pavone, West Norriton Township Commissioner
  83. Lynn Kelly, Coolbaugh Township Supervisor
  84. Jamila Winder, East Norriton Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  85. Cara Coless, Lower Providence Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  86. Kevin Shelly, Lower Salford Township Supervisor
  87. Tanya Bamford, Montgomery Township Supervisor, Chair
  88. Beth Staab, Montgomery Township Supervisor
  89. Annette Long, Montgomery Township Supervisor
  90. Kristie Brodowski, New Garden Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  91. Betsy Whitman, Patton Township Board of Supervisor
  92. Jacob Pride, Smithfield Township Supervisor, Chair
  93. Jennifer Shukaitis, Stroud Township Supervisor
  94. Joyce Snyder, Towamencin Township Supervisor
  95. K.S. Bhaskar, Tredyffrin Township Supervisor
  96. Carole Kenney, Upper Merion Township Supervisor, Chair
  97. Tina Garzillo, Upper Merion Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  98. Greg Philips, Upper Merion Township Supervisor
  99. Greg Waks, Upper Merion Township Supervisor
  100. Cheryl Lockard, Upper Moreland Township Supervisor
  101. Laurie Higgins, Upper Providence Township Supervisor
  102. Jennifer Baxter, Upper Uwchlan Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  103. Andy Durkin, Upper Uwchlan Township Supervisor
  104. Mayme Baumann, Uwchlan Township Supervisor, Chair
  105. Bill Miller, Uwchlan Township Supervisor
  106. Patrice Proctor, Valley Township Supervisor, Chair
  107. Laura Boyle Nester, Whitemarsh Township Supervisor, Chair
  108. Francis McCusker, Whitemarsh Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  109. Jacy Toll, Whitemarsh Township Supervisor
  110. Kimberly Koch, Whitpain Township Supervisor, Chair
  111. Michele Minnick, Whitpain Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  112. Scott Badami, Whitpain Township Supervisor
  113. Jeffrey Campolongo, Whitpain Township Supervisor
  114. Sara Shick, West Vincent Township Supervisor, Vice Chair
  115. Rajesh Kumbhardare, West Whiteland Supervisor, Chair
  116. Brian Dunn, West Whiteland Supervisor
  117. Bethany Hallam, Allegheny County Council Member
  118. Monica Taylor, Delaware County Council Chair
  119. Elaine Schaefer, Delaware County Council Vice Chair
  120. Kevin M. Madden, Delaware County Council Member
  121. Christine Reuther, Delaware County Council Member
  122. Khadijah Al Amin, Coatesville City Council Member
  123. Michael Keys, Erie City Council Vice President
  124. Ben Allatt, Former Harrisburg City Council Vice President
  125. Eric Ritter, New Castle City Council Member
  126. David Ward, New Castle City Council Member
  127. Darrell Clarke, Philadelphia City Council President
  128. Kendra Brooks, Philadelphia City Council Member
  129. Jamie Gauthier, Philadelphia City Council Member
  130. Kathie Gilmore Richardson, Philadelphia City Council Member
  131. Helen Gym, Philadelphia City Council Member
  132. Curtis Jones, Philadelphia City Council Member
  133. Isaiah Thomas, Philadelphia City Council Member
  134. Kyle Donahue, Scranton City Council President
  135. Jessica Rothchild, Scranton City Council Member
  136. Glynnis Siskind, Ambler Borough Council President
  137. Haley Welch, Ambler Borough Council Vice President
  138. Lisa Auerbach, Ambler Borough Council Member
  139. Frank DeRuosi, Ambler Borough Council Member
  140. Erin Endicott, Amber Borough Council Member
  141. Nellie Forst, Ambler Borough Council Member
  142. Amy Hughes, Ambler Borough Council Member
  143. Toni Bell, Bloomsburg Town Council Vice President
  144. Bonnie Crawford, Bloomsburg Town Council Member
  145. James Huber, Bloomsburg Town Council Member
  146. Tony Heyl, Bridgeport Borough Council Vice President
  147. Saba Al Zaid, Bridgeport Borough Council Member
  148. Diane Gundrum, Bridgeport Borough Council Member
  149. Amy High, Bridgeport Borough Council Member
  150. Meghan Nolan, Bridgeport Borough Council Member
  151. Kyle Shenk, Bridgeport Borough Council Member
  152. Sean Crampsie, Carlisle Borough Council Member
  153. Cate Mellen, Carlisle Borough Council Member
  154. Safronia Perry, Carlisle Borough Council Member
  155. Gerrie Carey, Clarks Summit Borough Council President
  156. Ronisha Lopez-Thomas, Clarks Summit Borough Council Member
  157. Tina Sokolowski, Conshohocken Borough Council Vice President
  158. Anita Barton, Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  159. Stacy Ellam, Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  160. Kathleen Kingsley, Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  161. Colleen Leonard, Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  162. Karen Tutino, Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  163. Jamie Levy, Borough of Delaware Water Gap Council President
  164. Caleb Cragle, Ellwood City Borough Council Member
  165. Megan Tuñón, Etna Borough Council Vice Chair
  166. Jessica Semler, Etna Borough Council Member
  167. Joseph Papaleo, Folcroft Borough Council President
  168. Ann Monaghan, Hawley Borough Councilmember
  169. Benjamin Hover, Lansdowne Borough Council President
  170. Frank Kulick, Jermyn Borough Council President
  171. Bonnie Crawford, Mechanicsburg Borough Council Member
  172. Elizabeth Romaine, Media Borough Council Vice President
  173. Kevin Boyer, Media Borough Council Pro Tem
  174. Joi Washington, Media Borough Council Member
  175. Mark Paikoff, Media Borough Council Member
  176. Claudette Williams, Mount Pocono Borough Council Member
  177. Beth Frushon, Olyphant Borough Council Member
  178. Scott Sidlow, Parkside Borough Council Member
  179. Perry Sweigart, Parkside Borough Council Member
  180. Jonathan Ewald, Phoenixville Borough Council President
  181. Richard M. Kirkner, Phoenixville Borough Council Member
  182. Brian Weiss, Phoenixville Borough Council Member
  183. Karen Bramblett, Plymouth Township Council Vice Chair
  184. Katherine Bandish, Plymouth Township Council Member
  185. Christopher Manero, Plymouth Township Council Member
  186. Joseph Hare, Rose Valley Borough Council Member
  187. Matthew Sullivan, Rose Valley Borough Council Member
  188. Matt Stehman, Royersford Borough Council Vice President
  189. Samantha Newell, Rutledge Borough Council Vice President
  190. Heidi Sentivan, Rutledge Borough Council Member
  191. Christine Gradel, Rutledge Borough Council Member
  192. Sharon Booker, Sharon Hill Borough Council Member
  193. Adrianne Laing, Sharpsburg Borough Council President
  194. Karen Pastor, Sharpsburg Borough Council Vice President
  195. Sarah Ishman, Sharpsburg Borough Council Member
  196. Daryl Littlefiels, Souderton Borough Council Member
  197. Julie Munden, Souderton Borough Council Member
  198. Donna Rogers, Souderton Borough Council Member
  199. Erica Bradley McCabe, Stroudsburg Borough Council Vice President
  200. Mary Walk, Swarthmore Borough Council President
  201. Sarah Graden, Swarthmore Borough Council Vice President
  202. David Boonin, Swarthmore Borough Council Member
  203. Jill Bennett Gaieski, Swarthmore Borough Council Member
  204. Scarlett McCahil, Swarthmore Borough Council Member
  205. Kristen Seymore, Swarthmore Borough Council Member
  206. Francie Halderman, Swarthmore Borough Council Member
  207. Kenneth Mickavicz, Taylor Borough Council President
  208. Michelle Billups, Upper Darby Township Council Secretary & Member
  209. Andrew Hayman, Upper Darby Township Council Member
  210. Danyelle Blackwell, Upper Darby Township Council Member
  211. Lisa Dorsey, West Chester Borough Council Vice President
  212. Jeff Ewing, West Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  213. Jose Ignacio Gonzalez, West Conshohocken Borough Council Member
  214. Ed Gainey, Mayor of Pittsburgh
  215. Paige Cognetti, Mayor of Scranton
  216. Barbarann Keffer, Mayor of Upper Darby
  217. Jeanne Sorg, Mayor of Ambler & Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds
  218. Beth Jacksier, Mayor of Bridgeport
  219. Yaniv Aronson, Mayor of Conshohocken
  220. Robert MacCallum, Mayor of Dickson City
  221. Rob Yannuzzi, Mayor of Eddystone
  222. Gabriel Lerman, Mayor of Jenkintown
  223. Garry Herbert, Mayor of Lansdale
  224. Magda Byrne, Mayor of Lansdowne
  225. Amanda Hammock, Mayor of Morton
  226. Andrea Deutsch, Mayor of Narberth
  227. Neil McDevitt, Mayor of North Wales
  228. Gamal Sherif, Mayor of the Borough of Rutledge
  229. Marty Spiegel, Mayor of Swarthmore
  230. Danelle Fournier, Mayor of West Conshohocken
  231. Emily Karam, Abington Heights School District, Board of Directors
  232. LeeAnn Wisdom, Downingtown Area School District, Board of School Directors, President
  233. Jennifer Wilson, Hatboro-Horsham School District, Board of Directors, Vice President
  234. Monica D’Antonio, Norristown Area School District, Board of Directors, Vice President
  235. Tina Stoll, North Penn School District, Board of School Directors, President
  236. Scott Overland, Phoenixville Area School District, Board of Directors, Vice President
  237. Sarah Dunn, Radnor Township School District, Board Vice President
  238. April Kwiatkowski, Shaler Area School District, Board of School Directors, President
  239. John Evans Sr., Valley View School District, Board of School Directors, Treasurer
  240. Caryn Ghrayeb, Downingtown Area School District, School Board Director, Vice President
  241. Madhu Gurthy, Downingtown Area School District, School Director
  242. Joyce Houghton, Downingtown Area School District, School Director
  243. Mindy Ross, Downingtown Area School District, School Director
  244. Tyler Titus, Former Erie School Board, School Director
  245. Chas. Willis, Interboro School District, School Board Member
  246. John Evans, Interboro School District, School Board Member
  247. Semira Perdue, Methacton School District, School Director
  248. Christian Fusco, North Penn School District, School Board Director Vice President
  249. Timothy MacBain, North Penn School District, School Director
  250. Juliane Ramić, North Penn School District, School Director
  251. Al Roesch, North Penn School District, School Director
  252. Pam Harbin, Pittsburgh Board of Public Education, District Representative
  253. Andrew Babson, Radnor Township School District, School Director
  254. Deborah Ann Spence, Pottstown School District, School Director
  255. Katie Gilmartin, Scranton School District, School Director
  256. Elizabeth Dunn, Shaler Area School District, School Director
  257. Joseph Farrell, Valley View School District, School Director
  258. Lawrence Kutys, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, School Director
  259. Mary Jo Witkowski-Smith, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, Assistant Board Secretary
  260. Laura Detre, West Chester School District, School Director
  261. Joseph Shields, Whitehall-Coplay School District, School Director
  262. Jan Tong, William Penn School District, School Director
  263. Margaret Reif, Chester County Controller
  264. Karen Sanchez, Montgomery County Controller
  265. Joyce Lanham, Paupack Township Auditor
  266. Vince Gillen, Uwchlan Township Auditor
  267. Robert Brunner, Whitpain Township Auditor
  268. Yolanda Van de Krol, Chester County Clerk of Courts
  269. Lori Schrieber, Montgomery County Clerk of Courts
  270. D. Bruce Hanes, Montgomery County Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans’ Court
  271. Debbie Bookman, Chester County Prothonotary
  272. Noah Marlier, Montgomery County Prothonotary
  273. Jason Salus, Montgomery County Treasurer
  274. Ken Frohlich, Radnor Township Treasurer
  275. Jennifer Stomsky, Ambler Borough Tax Collector
  276. Genevieve lupini, Jessup Borough Tax Collector
  277. Evelyn Ankers, Upper Merion Township Tax Collector
  278. Jeffrey Smith, Upper Uwchlan Township Tax Collector
  279. Paulette Lomarro, Uwchlan Township Tax Collector
  280. Kevin Boughter, Berks County Democratic Committee Chair
  281. Michael Bedrick, Chester County Democratic Committee Member, Caln Township
  282. Lisa Longo, Chester County Democratic Committee Member, Phoenixville
  283. Donald Foy, Chester County Democratic Committee Member, Coventry Township
  284. Patricia Williams, Wayne County Democratic Committee Member
  285. John Pace, Wayne County Democratic Committee Member
  286. Vincent Gallo, Wayne County Democratic Committee Member
  287. Joe Campisano, Garnet Valley Democratic Committee Chair
  288. Danielle Kleinman, Radnor Democratic Committee Member
  289. Meredith Buck, Bucks County Coroner
  290. April Kwiatkowski, Shaler Area School Board Member

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John Fetterman
John Fetterman

Written by John Fetterman

Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Candidate, United States Senate 2022. Running to be that 51st Vote. 🇺🇸