John Fetterman calls criticism of crime record 'lies' from Oz: 'when he’s on TV, he’s lying'

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John Fetterman slams attacks on his crime record: 'It's the Oz rule'

John Fetterman slammed attacks against his record on crime during an appearance on MSNBC's "The Reidout" on Tuesday. 

Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman said Tuesday that any attacks against him about crime from his Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz and were "absurd" and "lies." 

MSNBC host Joy Reid asked about Fetterman's "tats" on his arms and said Republicans have tried to "tie" him to the "thing they want to talk about this political season," crime. 

"Even to the point of, it is a little bit laughable, I'm almost embarrassed to say it, was trying to sort of tie you to the crips, tie you to gang membership, tie you to crime directly. What is that about and I know some of your tattoos are about time as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania and your commitment to ending murder. How do you respond to this idea, they're essentially trying to thug-ize you?" Reid asked.

"It's absurd and it's the Oz rule. You know, when he’s on TV, he’s lying, and he lies about my record on crime, but the truth is that we in Braddock, as mayor in a community with significant gun violence issues. I ran to be mayor for that reason, and for five and a half years we stop killing and the gun violence, we stopped it," Fetterman responded. 

MSNBC's Joy Reid interviews John Fetterman on Tuesday.  (Screenshot/MSNBC/TheReidout)

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He said his tattoos are about dates and added that he was at every single murder scene as mayor. 

"It was a deeply personal issue," he said. "I was able to stop it for five and a half years and Dr. Oz has used to lie on TV about it." 

Reid also asked Fetterman about his health after he suffered from a stroke earlier this year. 

"Do you think that people’s concerns about your health are weighing in to their decision whether to support you for the United States Senate?" Reid asked. 

John Fetterman, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and Democratic senate candidate, speaks during a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Fetterman and Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz are running to replace Republican Senator Pat Toomey, who is retiring. The outcome of the race could decide which party controls the Senate. Photographer: Nate Smallwood/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Photographer: Nate Smallwood/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Fetterman said it was "absolutely" weighing on voters minds but that his doctors, "real doctors," he added, all agree that he is "fit to run and serve." 

"Doctor Oz lies about my health again too, again, it’s the Oz rule again, when he’s on TV he's going to be lying." he said. 

Fetterman also said that in January he would be "much better" but that Oz would still be a "fraud."

Republican Pennsylvania Senate nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz holds a rally in the Tunkhanock Triton Hose Co fire station in Tunkhanock, Pa., on Thursday, August 18, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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"He is going to use things whether it’s my health or lying about my record on crime, because nobody wants to talk about himself, because the other side realizes they can’t make anybody like them, so what they are trying to do is lie and force people to not like me," he continued. 

Fetterman leads Oz by six points among likely general election voters, according to a USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll conducted at the end of September.