(LifeSiteNews) — Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania clarified recently that he does support funding a Philadelphia LGBT center that rents space for monthly “kink” parties.
Fetterman said he “championed” funding for the William Way Center but pulled his support to avoid further scrutiny after Libs of TikTok exposed the organization. He said he plans to continue to fight to give taxpayer dollars to the center.
Th Senate appropriations bill “includes $1M of your tax dollars to go towards renovating an LGBTQ Center in PA which boasts rooms to try BDSM and s*x f*tishes and hosts BDSM and s*x k*nk parties. There’s even a k*nk party happening there this weekend!” Libs of TikTok wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on March 5.
BREAKING: The Senate Appropriations Committee released a spending bill which is being voted on tomorrow.
It includes $1M of your tax dollars to go towards renovating an LGBTQ Center in PA which boasts rooms to try BDSM and s*x f*tishes and hosts BDSM and s*x k*nk parties.… pic.twitter.com/PKkj6TEd2q
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 5, 2024
Within days, the earmark had been pulled. Democratic Senate colleague Bob Casey also pulled his support but gave different reasons.
Fetterman told the media:
The William Way LGBT Community Center has been doing critical work in Philadelphia for decades. I do not believe that we should penalize this center based on events that are entirely legal among consenting adults. I have no problem with what consenting adults do in their private time. Unfortunately, at the 11th hour my staff was made aware that funding for William Way, which was in the bill because I championed it, would not pass in the FY24 appropriations process. The choice was either to pull it or watch it get stripped out, attacked by Republicans, and ultimately killed. This is not the end of this fight and I am going to fight for William Way to secure their funding in the FY25 appropriations process. I’m new here, but I wasn’t aware that Democratic values and priorities are dictated by Libs of Tik Tok.
His staff pulled his support without his knowledge, according to media reports. “I wasn’t part of that letter. I know that seems strange, but I wasn’t a part of that,” Fetterman told Business Insider, commenting on a letter sent Tuesday on behalf of the freshman senator.
Sen. Casey confirmed he has no problem with the kink parties and supports the “LGBTQ community” but did not think it was a good use of taxpayer dollars.
“He believes that consenting adults have the right to do whatever they want in their free time, but these types of appropriations projects warrant the highest level of scrutiny on behalf of taxpayers,” a spokesperson told the media. “Senator Casey withdrew his request for federal funding when new information about the third-party use of the facility emerged.”
The center also hosts “youth drag shows,” according to a Catholic Vote report.
Catholic Vote reported Sen. Casey, a self-professed Catholic, requested $1 million last summer for the center as well.
Conservative politicians and leaders criticized the latest funding request.
“This inexcusable misuse of taxpayer dollars is what happens when bills like this week’s mini-omnibus are written behind closed doors with pet projects inserted to buy the votes of Senators and Representatives,” Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie wrote on X.
This inexcusable misuse of taxpayer dollars is what happens when bills like this week’s mini-omnibus are written behind closed doors with pet projects inserted to buy the votes of Senators and Representatives. https://t.co/ZUwSygJxxv
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 5, 2024
“This is the type of sick and demented garbage that Dems like PA Senator Bob Casey are spending your tax dollars on!!!,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote.
“No taxpayer-funded sex parties,” Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wrote.