Questions mount about how John Fetterman was allegedly able to pen letter with fellow Democrats while under supervision for depression in hospital

Sen. John Fetterman allegedly joined fellow Pennsylvania Democrats Sen. Bob Casey and Rep. Chris Deluzio in writing a letter Wednesday to the CEO of Norfolk Southern, the railroad behind the toxic catastrophe in East Palestine, Ohio.

The letter implored Alan Shaw and his railroad company to ensure those residents in Darlington Township affected by the derailment receive "equal access to the financial and other resources" on offer.

It is not what the letter said that has raised eyebrows, but Fetterman's ability to write it.

TheBlaze recently reported that the senator — who suffered a debilitating stroke during his campaign — checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Feb. 16 to obtain treatment for "severe" depression. He was prompted, in part, by an experience of disorientation in the aftermath of President Joe Biden's Feb. 7 State of the Union address.

One of the senator's aides told the Wall Street Journal that there was both a medication and therapeutic aspect to Fetterman's treatment in hospital.

Fetterman's office noted Monday that his recovery is underway, though it will be a "weeks-long process," adding that he was continuing to keep up with "Senate business and news."

Following WTAE's initial report about this week's letter to Shaw, Stephen L. Miller, contributing editor at the Spectator World, tweeted, "Is there a single journalist within the border of the continental United States going to ask the question of how John Fetterman co-authored a letter in the united states Senate while under direct medical observation at Walter Reed for self admitted fear of harm and depression?"

Miller added, "So he just did this? He co-authored this letter. While under observation for suicide and depression at Walter Reed and 10 days after several days of hospitalization?"

Miller wasn't alone in his disbelief about Fetterman's alleged remote operations.

While finding it difficult to "apply self care," according to his aide, Fetterman was allegedly able to co-author the letter and co-sponsor a bipartisan Senate bill seeking to enhance safety requirements for trains carrying hazmat

TPUSA reporter Savanah Hernandez tweeted, "Nobody has heard from or seen John Fetterman for over two weeks and now he's apparently 'co-sponsoring' Senate bills.... Can somebody explain this to me???"

One user asked, "Um, Fetterman is still in the hospital receiving treatment for depression. How is he legally allowed to submit anything?"

Pro-police advocate Zeek Arkham tweeted, "If John Fetterman is able to somehow actively vote in the Senate and co-sponsor legislation while undergoing mental health care, shouldn’t he also be able to give us all a live update on his condition? The math ain’t math’n on this one."

New York University medical professor Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital that it is "very unusual that somebody that's being admitted for severe depression would be performing their job."

"If you broke your ankle, you know, nobody would think twice. Okay, he's got surgery on his ankle and he's recovering, but he's performing from the bed. But mental illness, by definition, is an impairment of mood and judgment," said Siegel. "So it would be highly, highly unlikely that somebody could do that, unless they're just keeping them there to kind of keep them out of the way of the stress of daily living, but they feel that he's up to the job."

Fetterman's chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, suggested that Fetterman is "getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself."

Jentleson appeared to lack his present confidence that mental acuity can be regained in 2017 when he wrote that former President Donald Trump stand down on the basis that he was allegedly "not mentally fit."

Fetterman's chief of staff wrote on April 20, 2017, "It should not be taboo to question Trump's mental health," a statement he had previously made on March 4 and March 21 that same year.

Jentleson also warned against normalizing mental illness in 2018.

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