Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's record of supporting parole for violent convicts amid other stances clashes with the need to get ahold of the crime wave rippling through cities like Allentown, Philadelphia and York, Dr. Mehmet Oz said.
Oz, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate against Fetterman, told Fox News his opponent's disparity in that regard shows Democrats have come up empty in addressing crime spikes.
"They have no agenda for prosperity in general. It's a major difference between the Democrats and Republicans in this campaign. [Fetterman] has wanted to protect criminals over the interests of the innocent," Oz told "Life, Liberty & Levin."
DEMONIZATION OF FOSSIL FUELS FUELING CODE-RED DIESEL STOCKPILE LEVELS: SUPPLIER
Oz pointed specifically to the crime wave in the state's largest city, noting that he and Levin both are from the vicinity and understand the drastic decline.
"People within the city say they feel like they're part of a social experiment, and when I went to get the Fraternal Order of Police endorsement, it was unanimous. They are so upset that no one's letting them do their jobs. They just want change," Oz said.
Levin, who cited his similar connection to the city as a native of bordering Cheltenham in Montgomery County, has long spoken of how prior to its decline, regular visits to Philadelphia, specifically Independence Mall, inspired him as a young man to engage in civics.
PENNSYLVANIA'S DOUG MASTRIANO WARNS ‘FUTURE OF THE NATION’ HINGES ON KEYSTONE STATE GOVERNOR'S RACE
"I was born in Philadelphia… How would he get control over the situation [there]?" he asked, noting the city is nearly entirely Democrat-controlled with Mayor Jim Kenney, DA Larry Krasner and a 17-member city council with two sitting Republicans — David Oh and Minority Leader Brian O'Neill.
"[Fetterman and his party] have no plan, Mark — none," Oz replied.
Oz noted the crime wave isn't confined to Philadelphia but has affected the entire commonwealth.
"I just think we’ve lost the art of being able to discuss things with each other in a calm nature," York County coroner Pam Gay told a local ABC affiliate earlier in 2022.
OZ SLAMS FETTERMAN OVER ‘SHAMEFUL’ DEMOCRATIC POLICIES FUELING CRIME, DRUG USE
"This isn't surgery," Oz said of fixing Pennsylvania's crime problem. "We deal with big problems like a broken heart. Literally, we don't fix it by dividing. We fix it by unifying the team. We've got to do the same thing to deal with the crime wave in Pennsylvania."
"It's not just Philadelphia — it's all across the commonwealth."
Crime has also played a role in the governor's race, where Republican nominee Doug Mastriano has repeatedly blamed Democratic opponent Josh Shapiro in part for the spike seen through his time as Pennsylvania attorney general.
At the legislative level, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has also been seeking to impeach Krasner.
