In a recent interview with the New York Post, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) expressed his strong opposition to the notion of “squatter’s rights,” a stance that sets him apart from many of his Democratic colleagues.
Fetterman, who has long sought to distance himself from the “woke” label, argued that individuals who illegally occupy someone else’s property should not be granted any legal rights.
“Squatters have no rights. How can you even pretend that this is anything other than you’re just breaking the law?” “It’s wild, that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly they have rights. This is crazy. Like if somebody stole your car, and then they held it for 30 days, then somehow you now have some rights?”” Fetterman declared unequivocally.
Fetterman’s comments come in the wake of the tragic murder of New York Police Department Detective Jonathan Diller, who was shot while conducting a traffic stop in Queens.
The suspect, Guy Rivera, had an extensive criminal history with 21 prior arrests and had recently been released from prison after serving time for drug possession and assault.
"I am not woke."
John Fetterman on squatters: “Squatters have no rights. How can you even pretend that this is anything other than you’re just breaking the law?”
"It’s wild, that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly they… pic.twitter.com/qTGGEnXY76
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) April 7, 2024
The senator argued that the Democratic Party’s lenient approach to crime contributed to Diller’s death, stating that if convicted, Rivera “should spend the rest of his life and in prison, and never have an opportunity to get out.”
“I have gone to police funerals. If this individual is convicted, then he should spend the rest of his life and in prison, and never have an opportunity to get out.” “If you have those kinds of established records, It doesn’t serve any greater goal to allow people that are offending, offending, offending and allow them to not be held accountable.” “We have to be very smart and aggressive on crime, Fetterman sad.
Fetterman’s stance on crime and his support for law enforcement sets him apart from many of his fellow Democrats, who have faced criticism for their perceived softness on crime.
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His perspective offers a refreshing contrast to the often-polarizing rhetoric surrounding criminal justice reform and highlights the importance of finding common ground in the pursuit of safer communities.
