A watchdog group is calling for an investigation into Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman for failing to disclose eight properties in his personal financial disclosure.
Senate candidates are required under federal law and Senate ethics rules to file a financial disclosure that gives a “full and complete” picture of their income, assets, and debts, including any real estate property with a value greater than $1,000.
County records show Fetterman owns eight properties in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
“On July 29, 2022, Fetterman filed a personal financial disclosure and did not report the real estate he owns,” according to the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. “While the precise fair market value of the properties is unknown, it is likely they are all above $1,000. Seven of the eight properties have an assessed value of $1,000 or more, and the eighth property likely has a fair market value greater than $1,000.”
Kendra Arnold, executive Director of FACT, said the financial disclosure is a requirement Fetterman should have known about.
“Candidates are well aware of their obligation to comply with the law and have an affirmative duty to do so,” Arnold said in a statement. “Moreover, when a Senate candidate fails to comply with the disclosure laws, it is indicative as to whether they will comply with the law if elected—and it is especially concerning when they don’t.”
The finding comes as Fetterman has attacked his GOP opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, for owning 10 properties.
Recently Fetterman knocked Oz for saying he owns two houses, despite having investments in 18 properties. The Democrat frequently paints Oz as being disconnected with the state and accuses him of spending more time at his New Jersey residence.
In August Oz was captured on video at a campaign event saying: 'Well I, legitimately, I own two houses. But, uh, one of them we're building on; the other ones I rent.'
The Daily Beast later reported he owns 10 houses, including a 18,559-square-foot estate in Palm Beach, Fla., that has been valued at more than $36 million.
Oz clarified in a tweet that he owns '10 properties (disclosed when I announced). 2 homes,' referring to his campaign finance disclosure. The disclosure shows he has investments in 18 properties, 10 of which have houses on them. The two he calls 'homes' are a Pennsylvania property purchased last year and his New Jersey mansion.
A Fetterman spokesperson criticized Oz for not including the investment properties in comments to CBS. 'A house? A property? An investment property? What? Dr. Oz is so out of touch that he doesn't even get that real people—people who he claims he will fight for in Washington—don't care about the difference,' said Emilia Rowland, the spokesperson. (Daily Mail)
A spokesman for Fetterman’s campaign said the Democrat did not need to file a financial disclosure for them because they do not produce income and are not classified as investments.
“These properties don’t produce any income and are not investment properties, so John did not need to disclose them,” Fetterman spokesperson Nicholas Gavio told The Daily Mail.
The total value of all the lots is $108,800. Most of the properties are empty lots.