Sen. Kennedy torches Olympic skier's 'expert' climate change testimony: The 'Kardashian-ing of America'

Olympic skier Gus Schumacher struggled while testifying before the Senate Budget Committee last week as the Democrats' 'expert witness'

Green New Deal is a fantasy: Sen. John Kennedy

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., discusses the Biden administration's green agenda and his exchange with an Olympic skier at a hearing about climate change on 'Hannity.'

During a Senate Budget Committee hearing last week, Olympic skier Gus Schumacher faced a grilling by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., after being called to testify as one of the Democrats' "expert witnesses" on climate change. On "Hannity," Monday, Kennedy elaborated on his exchange with Schumacher, labeling his testimony as an example of the "‘Kardashian-ing’ of America."

GOP LEADERS CONFRONT BIDEN'S NEW CLIMATE CZAR ON KEY SECURITY RISKS LURKING IN GREEN AGENDA

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: Mr. Schumacher, I understand, is a superb skier, and I'm sure he's a fine young man. But the fact remains that my Democratic colleagues invited Mr. Schumacher to testify before the Budget Committee of the United States Senate as an expert on climate change to advise us on climate change legislation. And Mr. Schumacher could neither defend nor substantiate his rhetoric. I suppose his testimony is an example of the ‘Kardashian-ing’ of America. I don't mean to be cruel, but Mr. Schumacher's testimony reminded me so much of... the gormless pop singers and movie stars who partied with Harvey Weinstein, who incessantly lecture the American people and who also have to lie down if they think too hard. And I'm sorry Mr. Schumacher had a difficult day, but you shouldn't hold yourself out as an expert or have an opinion if you can't defend it.

Gus Schumacher (Left) John Kennedy (Right)

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., comments on his exchange with Olympic skier Gus Schumacher. 

Schumacher struggled to defend his position as an "expert witness" on climate change, repeatedly declining to answer Kennedy's questions.

The 23-year-old was invited by Democrats to address the impact of climate change on the environment and recreational activities.

Kennedy also called out Schumacher for previous tweets relating to the "war on drugs" and abolishing the police, while challenging him on the U.S. potentially spending trillions of dollars to "reduce world temperatures."

Kennedy said the Left's plan to bring the world to carbon-neutrality amounts to a "fantasy," based on the trillions in spending it would require. 

Schumacher later said that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., the chairman of the committee, apologized to him for Kennedy's "aggressive" questions.

This article was written by Fox News staff.

Authored by Fox News Staff via FoxNews March 26th 2024