Dropkick Murphys singer and bassist Ken Casey didn’t hold back his criticism for billionaires and election deniers in a blistering message to Pennsylvania fans.
Casey performed in the state, which features a heated U.S. Senate race between Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, on Thursday. He went after “swindlers” and “grifters” in a rant that appeared to target politicians supporting former President Donald Trump.
The Massachusetts-founded Celtic punk band’s performance was on the same night as President Joe Biden’s prime-time speech against “MAGA Republicans” and election deniers who threaten American democracy.
Casey, in his address, told fans that buying “those fucking hats” makes them “part of the problem.”
“You’re being duped by the greatest swindler in the history of the world. You’re being duped by a bunch of grifters and billionaires who don’t give a shit about you or your family,” Casey said.
“If you consider yourself a patriot and you’re spouting out that election-denying shit, I will fight your ass outside if you want to,” he added.
Watch a clip of Casey’s rant below.
Casey has been politically outspoken in the past.
Casey, a self-proclaimed Democrat, co-hosted a fundraiser for GOP Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker when he was running for the office in 2014. “I will take a big heart and strong character over political party any day,” Casey told the Boston Herald at the time.
He supported U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, who was appointed by Biden, during Walsh’s campaign for Boston mayor in 2013.
The musician told Kerrang magazine last year that the band is not in the position of “backing politicians” but added that who someone is as a person matters and he didn’t see it in Trump.
“Well, you put a shitty person in charge, what did you expect?” Casey said.
“Friends that I’ve had my whole life got swindled into believing what that snake oil salesman was selling. It ruined lifelong friendships and family relations,” he said. “That might be wishful thinking because divisions are deep, but when you don’t have a guy pouring gasoline on it every day on Twitter, it’s a little bit easier to have hope.”
