A video of a Pittsburgh man questioning Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman at an event raised questions about the practices of the Democrat’s security detail.
Lawyer and professor Dan Kovalik was recorded asking Fetterman about the Israel-Hamas conflict in a video posted to his X account on Sunday.
Kovalik spoke to the freshman senator in what appeared to be a restaurant.
He urged Fetterman to call for a cease-fire in the brewing war in the Middle East.
The 6-foot-8 Democrat stood silently, at one point speaking quietly to his staff.
Fetterman has struggled with public speaking — suffering from an auditory processing disorder in the aftermath of a 2022 stroke.
At one point, Kovalik rebuffed a member of the senator’s staff who attempted to urge him away.
“No, I can talk to — I voted for him, I’m sorry, this is a democracy,” he said.
“It absolutely is,” the staffer said.
“Yeah, yeah, but kind of. Sort of,” Kovalik said, before continuing to ask about a cease-fire.
When he attempted to hand Fetterman a document, a member of the senator’s staff began shoving him — moving him through the door to the outside of the restaurant.
Kovalik described it as being “assaulted” in his social media post.
“I just took on @JohnFetterman for his failure to support a ceasefire for #Gaza and was assaulted,” he wrote. “Come see the violence inherent in the system.”
I just took on @JohnFetterman for his failure to support a ceasefire for #Gaza and was assaulted. Come see the violence inherent in the system. pic.twitter.com/QOTKHNAnfE
— Dan Kovalik (@danielmkovalik) October 29, 2023
The man filming the video also expressed shock at the staffer’s actions, saying, “He just assaulted him. He just assaulted him. … He was just talking to him.”
Kovalik went on to indicate in follow-up posts that he had a paid ticket to the event with Fetterman — and he was considering filing criminal charges against the staffer.
Yes, I am considering such charges. Thank you!
— Dan Kovalik (@danielmkovalik) October 30, 2023
He also shared a news article “on my being assaulted by @JohnFetterman goon.”
Newsweek on my being assaulted by @JohnFetterman goon. https://t.co/0jAeMjpAqR
— Dan Kovalik (@danielmkovalik) October 30, 2023
In a statement on Oct. 18, Fetterman expressed support for Israel’s forceful response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 that left 1,400 Jews dead.
“Innocent Israelis were the victims of a terrorist attack that resulted in the largest loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust,” the senator said.
“I grieve for every innocent person and brave Israeli soldier killed since Hamas started this war,” he said. “If not for the horrific attacks by Hamas terrorists, thousands of innocent Israelis and Palestinians would still be alive today.
“Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire. We must support Israel in their 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.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
