Fetterman chief of staff departing amid office turnover
By Kaanita Iyer and Morgan Rimmer, CNN
(CNN) — Sen. John Fetterman’s chief of staff Krysta Juris is departing her role and the office is elevating another adviser to fill the position, the Pennsylvania Democrat said on Tuesday.
“I’m grateful for Krysta’s work. She’s been an invaluable member of the team for over two years and I wish her all the best,” Fetterman said in a statement his office provided to CNN.
In the statement, he also announced that Cabelle St. John will take on the role, describing her as “a trusted advisor since day 1 in the office.”
Fetterman’s office is known to have had notable staff turnover though Juris’ departure, which was first reported by Axios, comes at a time when the senator is facing increased scrutiny.
In an interview with CNN last month, Fetterman roundly dismissed allegations that he’s unfit to serve in the Senate, attacking a recent report detailing claims of erratic behavior as a “hit piece” and vowing to serve out his term. The senator pushed back on assertions from former and current staffers published in New York Magazine that he had been exhibiting reckless and volatile behavior.
“It’s a one-source hit piece, and it involved maybe two or three and anonymous disgruntled staffers saying just absolute false things,” Fetterman told CNN at the time.
Fetterman has before been open about receiving treatment for clinical depression. He checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression in 2023 and has spoken out about how his 2022 campaign worsened his mental health.
The New York Magazine report detailed on the record allegations from a former staffer and anonymous allegations from current staffers that Fetterman might be off his medication. The senator denied any suggestion that he may not be taking his medication, saying his doctors think he is “great,” and that he has been attending regular check-ups and following his wellness regimen.
Adding to the mounting scrutiny, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board published a scathing op-ed on Sunday, criticizing the senator for missing votes and regularly skipping committee hearings. The board wrote, “It’s time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away.”
Fetterman addressed the op-ed on Monday at a forum with fellow Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, that aired on Fox Nation, shrugging it off as “just not accurate.”
“I’m here, I’m doing that job,” Fetterman added.
The senator told CNN last month that he plans on serving out the remaining four years of his Senate term but would not say whether he plans on running for reelection for his competitive seat in 2028.
“We’re not talking about ‘28,” Fetterman told CNN. “Who knows what’s going to happen in ‘28.”
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