Democrat Senators Openly Rebel Against Chuck Schumer’s Fetterman-Inspired Dress Code Change
“I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate, and we’re in the process of discussing that right now as to what those standards will be.” – Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
It’s been a week since Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “quietly” and unilaterally changed the dress code for the Senate to allow for the sloppy casual look, and I think it’s safe to say at this point that it has backfired on Schumer big time.
The move, of course, was made in an effort to accommodate Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who on any given day arrives for work in the United States Senate looking like he woke up too late to put any effort into how he looks:
Senate Majority Leader Schumer directs the Sergeant at Arms to no longer enforce the Senate's dress code — to accommodate the senator who wants to wear this outfit to perform his duties. From @axios: https://t.co/M6NwVLTi3z pic.twitter.com/AFkE0gAouT
— Byron York (@ByronYork) September 18, 2023
But while there are those who might say “eh, it’s not a big deal,” as it turns out, many of Fetterman’s colleagues do think it’s a big deal – and not just on the Republican side of the aisle but on the Democrat side as well.
On Tuesday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told Politico that he had talked to Fetterman personally and would do whatever he could to “hold the decorum of the Senate”:
Manchin tells me he spoke to Fetterman today about the Senate dress code change
“I said ‘John, I think it’s wrong & there's no way I can comply with that’…Wanted to tell him directly that I totally oppose it & I will do everything I can to try to hold the decorum of the Senate”
— Ursula Perano (@UrsulaPerano) September 19, 2023
It wasn’t long after that statement that we learned Manchin was circulating a resolution among members of the Senate to get Schumer to reverse course with the support of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who is Schumer’s second in command as Senate Majority Whip:
But the decision to loosen the dress code is getting bipartisan pushback, including from Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), who says the Senate should have standards.
“The senator in question from Pennsylvania is a personal friend, but I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate, and we’re in the process of discussing that right now as to what those standards will be,” Durbin told “The Briefing with Steve Scully” on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel.
“I think the Senate needs to act on this,” Durbin said.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) described the bipartisan group of senators who want to restore the Senate dress code “the coalition of the rational.”
Manchin spokesperson: “Next week, Senator Manchin intends to file a bipartisan resolution to ensure the Senate dress code remains consistent with previous expectations.”
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) September 21, 2023
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview Wednesday that he, too, was not a fan of the change:
CNN’s @jaketapper: “I wondered what you thought of Schumer changing the Senate dress code. It will accommodate…the broski-takes-the-garbage-to-the-curb-on-Sundays outfits that Sen. Fetterman…favors.”
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ): “I don’t like it.” pic.twitter.com/tLsSpzMObd
— The Recount (@therecount) September 20, 2023
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) told Axios he felt it was important for Senators to “dress respectfully”:
“I am not going to change what I’m doing, I will just tell you that,” Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana farmer, told Axios. “My personal opinion is, you got to dress respectfully.”
While it’s unknown just how many Senate Democrats disapprove of changing the dress code to allow Senators (but not staffers and visitors) to wear what they want, 47 Senate Republicans are on record as opposing it:
On the Republican side, 46 GOP senators wrote to Schumer, asking him to reverse his decision. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also said she was opposed but preferred to resolve the issue in private.
In prior interviews, Britt has talked about how she and Fetterman have become friends – especially through his hospital stay earlier this year, so it’s not surprising she’d take the position that while the dress code decision should be reversed the issue should not be played out in the media, either.
The other two GOP Senators who didn’t sign on to the letter, Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Mike Braun (Ind.), essentially said they felt there were more pressing issues to address. I suspect that could change if Manchin’s resolution was a vote or two short of being able to pass.
All of that said, the jokes and suggestions have been fast and flowing on the Twitter machine:
BREAKING: Sen. Elizabeth Warren was spotted wearing some questionable garb after the Senate relaxed its dress code policy.
This has gone WAY too far.#SenateDressCode pic.twitter.com/5nKXfSa7hX
— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) September 22, 2023
I've always said the proper dress code for the Senate and all politicians is they should have to dress as clowns. Suits make them look important; clown outfits are more appropriate.
— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) September 19, 2023
A commenter noted that if you want to nuke Chuck Schumer’s absurd new dress code from orbit, all you need is one Republican showing up on the Senate floor with a hoodie that says TRUMP WON. https://t.co/YLoLMFwzsj
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) September 22, 2023
Honestly I never had any desire to get into politics however I’m now considering running for senate since they no longer have a dress code.
— Larry The Cable Guy (@GitRDoneLarry) September 21, 2023
New Jersey Democrat Senator Bob Menendez says he’s against relaxing the Senate dress code because there aren’t enough pockets in gym shorts to stuff cash bribes
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) September 23, 2023
Ouch!
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
The Democrat Party: leading the way with ever-lowering standards.
Pathetic. Tell this gorilla to put in a jacket and tie or go get a job at T.J. Maxx.
“. . . including from Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), who says the Senate should have standards.”
That itself is a story. That a Democrat is willing to adhere to a standard of normative vintage.
Color me shocked, shocked!
They don’t want him. Even Starbucks and BK have an employee dress code
What he was pictured in above wouldn’t pass dress code at T. J. Maxx.
The TJ Maxx dress code is smart casual.
You should wear nothing that is too tight or revealing. Clothes should not have holes or excessive distressing. You can wear T-shirts, jeans, slacks, dresses, and skirts. You cannot wear anything above the knees, so shorts are not allowed.
What’s the sense of taking all those bribes if you can’t spend it on expensive tailoring?
Spending it on expensive ice cream.
Yes, the senate absolutely should have – and enforce! – standards. Ethical standards would be a nice change. They might even consider having standards of upholding the Constitution and not bankrupting the country.
By comparison, the way they dress is just not important.
Baby steps…..
If you want to take care of the big stuff, start with the small stuff… Kind of like the broken windows policies.
The more fun GoP Senator’s should consider dressing like the ‘The Dude’ from the movie The Big Lebowski. Just walk in, sit down and shut the place down by refusing every unanimous consent request. When the d/prog or fussy GoP Senators complain just tell them ‘well, that’s like your opinion man..’
Chuck Schumer very publicly changed a dress code as old as the Senate in order to allow the Dem’s pet zombie to show up for work dressed in an outfit he picked up at a charity shop for 5 bucks. Like it was cut rate bowling league night at the Capitol.
How were you planning on burying that without the media knowing?
He’s wearing a clean hoodie, which is more effort that I put in. White is insanely hard to show as clean.
Hmmm. I wonder if there are any brave GOP Senators (I know…and oxymoron) who would bring streaking back.
But you have to wear an armband saying “Senate Pride” so they can’t invoke the illegal exposure laws.
Murkowski is thinking of doing that. Beware of what you wish for
Durbin is indicating the standard should change in some way. So hoodies and shorts will probably have to go, but I’ll bet they “settle” on some kind of business casual; although that definition has morphed considerably over the years. They have to allow Schumer to save face.
The Democrat Party seeks conformity and uniformity in every aspect at every level of our society. That is, the Democrats want EVERYTHING to turn to crap.
One lingering effect after my stroke was a skin sensitivity. Seat belts or clothing pulling on me felt like someone slapping a sunburn. Since Fetterman did not get treated properly for his stroke, one can assume he is suffering from this type of pain and he isn’t getting any better. This would be why he wears loose clothing.
His family and friends are anything but.
Variation on that theme: a case of CMV last year blessed me with a form of neuropathy across my torso. Gads, but it makes me hate life at times, even with meds that – somewhat – keep it at bay.
No excuse. Less than the cost of a DC lunch.
Skin sensitivity may indeed be an issue in a position which demands wearing of a suit and tie. Which would be yet another reason why he is physically unfit for office and has been since well before his election.
But as you suggest, his family and the party were more concerned with winning office for their own reasons than his welfare and ability to do the job. A loving unselfish wife wouldn’t have let him make a international public joke out of himself. If she has a defense it is that she was following Jill Biden’s example.
Senators should show up in Roman Togas, complete with swords maybe
Oh, then MTG will be wishing she had been a senator instead!
In truth, they also need to keep up pretension they are somehow above and civic minded guardians, not only crooks into it for fame and personal game.
Not everyone can be a Grassley type, especially in the Senate.
Surest way to kill Shumer’s policy change, is mock it mercilessly, ON THE FLOOR of the Senate.
My old employer was jonesing for a Malcolm Baldrige award – part of which was prioritizing workplace and employee safety. The standard for us cube rats was a short safety “tip” presentation at the weekly staff meeting. But when the big guy says “more safety”, the underlings deliver MORE and soon EVERY meeting opened with a safety presentation. Then came a schedule to involve everyone which I avoided as long as possible. When my excuses ran out, I did a mashup of a Letterman’s top 10 list and a safety tip presentation.
10) Never bungee jump from an overpass.
9) Label thermometers “oral” or “rectal”.
8) Look before zipping.
Etc.
It got passed up the line until it was shown to the division president, who shortly thereafter ended the safety presentation madness.
About the time Mittens shows up wearing only his magic underwear, they’ll change the policy. And Mittens will FINALLY have done something useful as a Senator.
THIS is the hill we die on.
There have been many Empty Suits in. the Senate. Fetterman wants to be the first Empty Hoodie.
Britt is beginning to worry me.
Hey, remember back in 2017 when then-speaker Paul Ryan(R) was pummeled by a bunch of women who demanded to wear sleeveless dresses on the chamber floor during Summer’s sweltering heat, but Ryan said “No” – because decorum -, and the interwebs lost its collective poop over such patriarchal tyranny even though Nancy Pelosi previously enforced the same dress code??
Tackling the tough issues of the day. I like the current clown suits all around idea.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-dresscode/for-women-at-the-u-s-congress-the-right-to-bare-arms-idUSKBN19Y2BV
They are taunting us.
“Look, we can run a candidate who just had a bad stroke, and he’ll win!”
Their next candidate will be someone who is capable of only blinking his eyes. They will wheel him into the Senate chamber and ask:
“Senator Comatose, how do you vote on this $2T bill? One blink for yes, two blinks for no”
Caligula wanted to elevate his horse to the senate.
Erronius
The horse would have had better judgment than the current Congress. Both houses.
I like to wear suits and dress well, sport coats, slacks, the whole Brooks Brothers era silver-back CPA.. Even on dress down Fridays I wear starched and pressed jeans, a jacket and suitable shirt though I may skip the tie.
At 6’8″, Fetterman is already peculiar looking but the tattoos and shaved head just do not work. OTOH, he really does represent the essence of socialist democrats in Pennsylvania, low class, unsophisticated and dull.
At best, Fetterman’s credentials are an indictment of Pennsylvania’s throughly devolved higher education programs as nothing more than liberal indoctrination facilities.
https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2023/9/sen-rick-scott-leads-46-gop-senators-in-demanding-schumer-restore-decorum-reverse-new-senate-dress-code-rules?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top#:~:text=September%2019%2C%202023,members%20on%20the%20Senate%20floor.I know this is nitpicking but would it be too much to ask that you sanitize the links you embed in the posts? For instance, you don’t need to have anything past the first “?” in this URL. It will still end up on the correct page if you simply use:
https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2023/9/sen-rick-scott-leads-46-gop-senators-in-demanding-schumer-restore-decorum-reverse-new-senate-dress-code-rulesAnd omit the rest of that tracking garbage.
Thanks.
The fact that energies are being taken to even discuss this is an embarrassment to our nation.