DL Open Thread: Thursday, May 8, 2025
‘That Boy Ain’t Right’. We’re talking US Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania:
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was meeting last week with representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved.
Before long, Fetterman began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why “everybody is mad at me,” “why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do” and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred.
As the meeting deteriorated, a staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying. The staffer was comforted by the teachers who were themselves rattled by Fetterman’s behavior, according to a second person who was briefed separately on the meeting.
The interaction at Fetterman’s Washington office, described to The Associated Press by the two people who spoke about it on the condition of anonymity, came the day before New York Magazine published a story in which former staff and political advisers to Fetterman aired concerns about the senator’s mental health.
That story included a 2024 letter, also obtained by the AP, in which Fetterman’s one-time chief of staff Adam Jentleson told a neuropsychiatrist who had treated Fetterman for depression that the senator appeared to be off his recovery plan and was exhibiting alarming behavior, including a tendency toward “long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues.”
He needs help. Hope he gets it. In the meantime, Pennsylvania may need a new US Senator.
Nope. No Pope. Yet. Three votes down. Two more scheduled for today.
What’re You Looking At? There’s no law prohibiting a raccoon from smoking meth, is there?
Progress On The Delaware Weed Front? Looks like it:
After a string of unanticipated delays, Delaware’s recreational marijuana industry took a big step forward after state regulators gained an FBI approval to conduct criminal background checks on aspiring marijuana operators.
The approval will allow the state to complete the background check process, which must be done before a business in the burgeoning Delaware industry will be allowed to open.
The development comes seven months after the state first submitted its federal application for what the FBI calls a service code to authorize the state to fingerprint individuals as part of a criminal background check.
The service code is needed for marijuana operators to schedule fingerprinting appointments, which allows the State Bureau of Identification to generate criminal history reports and conduct investigations on operators.
“Fingerprint-based background checks are a vital part of ensuring public safety and maintaining the integrity of the program,” Paul Hyland, acting state marijuana commissioner, said in a recent press release. “We appreciate the FBI’s collaboration and are excited that selected applicants can continue moving forward.”
Could well be a two-fer this week as the State Senate is likely to confirm the nomination of Delaware’s new Marijuana Czar today.
Don’t know if it’s me or the news today. But that’s all I’ve got.
What do you want to talk about?
Hate to say it but after his stroke the repubes called for him to resign, he should have.
He had his stroke before he was elected senator. So they didn’t call for him to resign, they called for him to drop out of the Senate race. If he had, the Democrats would not have had a Senate majority in the last 2 years of Biden’s term and the Senior Senator from PA would now be Senator Dr. Oz.
That said, I do think he should resign now. His mental state seems to be really deteriorating and Shapiro can appoint a democratic replacement.
This follows a paywalled New York magazine profile in which aides talked about his failure to follow the recommendations he was given after his hospitalization for depression.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/john-fetterman-struggle-mental-health-clinical-depression.html
Biden, Fetterman… why don’t we have any hard-hitting mainstream articles on mental incompetence of Republican elected officials? It’s a target-rich environment.
Wilmington Housing Advocates To Rally For Rent Stabilization:
“Wilmington, DE — Dozens of tenants, housing advocates, and community leaders will rally at Wilmington City Council’s Community Development and Urban Planning Committee hearing on Thursday, May 8th, to urge passage of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (Agenda #0029). The ordinance would limit excessive rent increases and help protect families from displacement amid a citywide housing crisis.
Residents from across all eight council districts will speak out in support of rent stabilization, sharing personal stories of skyrocketing rents, housing insecurity, and the urgent need for policy solutions that prioritize people over profit.
“Our neighborhoods are being torn apart by rent hikes that put profit over people. I’ve heard from seniors, single parents, and working families across Wilmington who are barely holding on. Rent stabilization isn’t just policy—it’s about protecting our neighbors, our elders, and our kids. City Council has a choice: stand with the people or let displacement continue. We’re here to say enough is enough” said Branden Fletcher Dominguez, tenant organizer with the HOMES Campaign.
Tenants are calling on councilmembers to pass the ordinance and stand on the side of housing justice. The hearing will take place at 5:00 PM in the City Council chambers.”
We (aka ‘they’) have a new Pope.
Don’t know who it is yet.
The new Pope is an American, Cardinal Robert Prevost.
Appears to be close with Pope Francis, committed to social justice.
Laura Loomer already hates him, which is a plus.
Too bad for her she can’t clean out those who she believes to be infidels in the Catholic Church as easily as she can in the Trump Administration.