Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) brought a convicted murderer as his guest to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Dennis Horton, convicted of second-degree murder, was commuted by Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons in 2021.

Freshman Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) brought a convicted murderer, who he helped release from prison through clemency and hired to work on his campaign, to the State of the Union address on Tuesday. https://t.co/WZJRhyxJeg

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 8, 2023

The background

"Dennis Horton was found guilty of second-degree murder, along with his brother Lee Horton, stemming from a 1993 fatal shooting during a Philadelphia robbery," Breitbart News reported.

"They both maintained their innocence throughout their prison terms, which lasted nearly three decades before they were granted clemency by then-Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) in 2021 at the recommendation of the state’s five-person Board of Pardons, chaired by then-Lt. Gov. Fetterman," it added.

We’re ready. #SOTU https://t.co/kPcsNZFeUO pic.twitter.com/PGeCRrFWq7

— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 8, 2023

A concerning pattern

"Fetterman, who chairs the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, often talks about wanting to put an end to state law that requires mandatory life sentences without parole for those convicted of second-degree murder, but his voting record on the board shows he has successfully supported the release of at least 10 people who were convicted of taking a life," Fox News reported in October.

"In April, Fetterman voted along with the rest of the board to release Felix Rosado, fulfilling the unanimous vote requirement to recommend clemency to the governor," it continued.

"Rosado was serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to shooting a man to death in 1995. On July 14, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf granted Rosado’s request for clemency, releasing him from prison," it added.

I'm honored & privileged to introduce Dennis "Freedom" Horton as my guest to the #SOTU.

Dennis and his brother, Lee Horton, were incarcerated for nearly 28 years for a crime they did not commit. 🧵https://t.co/zDudagnnbW

— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 7, 2023

No wonder crime soaring in PA

Fetterman went on to win again Mehmet Oz in November despite his record and suffering a stroke earlier in the year that kept him from traditional campaigning.

The senator now argues that Horton was incarcerated for nearly 28 years for a crime that he did not commit despite the evidence that led to the man's conviction.

It's a concerning pattern for Pennsylvania, where crime has soared in Democrat-led cities in recent years.

The senator's visitor made the crime issue even more visible, revealing his own role among the residents of his state.