Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's LGBTQIA+ Pride Flags Taken Down From Office Balcony After He 'Defies' GOP

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Lt. Gov. and Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman says his effort to mark the start of Pride Month by "technically breaking a law" and flying pride flags from his office balcony in Harrisburg ended in just a few hours.

Fetterman is pointing a finger at Republicans, saying they passed a provision last year to ban unauthorized flags on Capitol grounds. Fetterman calls that a "direct response" to his LGBTQIA+ flags.

He says his flags were taken down by state employees just hours after they were put up. Swearing in a statement, he says he's disappointed, "but what's even more disappointing and angering is that the Republicans in Pennsylvania can quickly come up with legislation to take down the flags, but not to ensure that Pennsylvania law explicitly protects the LGBTQIA+ community from discrimination."

Fetterman's campaign touts his record as an LGBTQIA+ ally, saying he broke the law when he officiated the first same-sex marriage in Allegheny County. He says he went on to officiate over two dozen more same-sex weddings before the ban was overturned.