Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) has recently garnered attention on social media after he grilled Dr. Benjamin Keys, Professor of Real Estate and Finance at Wharton, who the GOP congressman described as a “climate extremist.” Kennedy picked apart the climate activist’s agenda while exposing the seeming hypocrisy regarding Keys’s recommendations to protect the environment.
In particular, Kennedy called out an essay from the professor where he suggested that people should forego home ownership. Keys wrote that “it’s time for some prospective buyers set on living in areas with high risk of hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes to reconsider homeownership as a financial goal.” He further noted that “renting is quickly becoming a better way for many people to enjoy these places with much less financial baggage.”
Calling Keys out on the essay in front of Congress, Kennedy said, “I mean, I see this essay that you wrote in the New York Times, appropriate New York Times, climate change should make you think home ownership. Did you write that?” The professor replied, “Yes, I did, senator.” The Louisiana Republican continued, “Pretty bold, you own a home?” He answered, “I do in a flood zone.”
“Have you sold it?” Kennedy inquired to see if Keys had followed his own advice. “I sold my home? … I live in my home, sir.” The GOP senator then said, “Oh, well, you’re telling everybody else to sell theirs. You’re a climate extremist, aren’t you, professor?” He answered, “Certainly not, senator.” Kennedy then questioned, “You are a political extremist, aren’t you?” Keys denied the assertion.
In another part of the hearing, Kennedy interrogated Keys on alleged social media posts he had previously made. “On July 9, of 2024, did you tweet the following quote, honestly, the biggest long term political problem the Democrats have is that they don’t know how to talk to low information morons. Close quote,” he read to Keys. However, the professor denied that those were his “words,” leading Kennedy to display them.
Calling out another alleged post shared by Keys, Kennedy read out loud, “A big part of modern right wing culture is this frisson of the illicit the reading of this or that writer or account that are outré in whatever ways, fascists, race, IQ obsesses, Holocaust denial, adjacent people with very weird sexual fixations and pathologies, they turn into their own philosophy, etc, a lot of them, and I think this is true of Vance and definitely true of the creepy Silicon Valley mega weirdos have simply pickled their brains. End quote.” Likewise, Keys denied making that statement.
In another portion of his questioning, Kennedy shared scientific findings which seemingly contradict Keys’ agenda. “I told you that methanethiol is a sulfur based aerosol gas kind of smells like rotten cabbage that is produced by microscopic plankton and all of our oceans, which cover 75% of the Earth’s surface. Would you have reason to disagree with me? I certainly wouldn’t, Senator. I’m here to talk about insurance,” he said.
Kennedy further stated, “If I told you that this methane ethanol is an aerosol which escapes into our environment. It oxidizes and produces particles that substantially reflect the sun’s radiation and heat and prevents climate change. Would you have a reason to disagree with me?” The professor replied, ” I wouldn’t, Senator. I’m here to talk about the insurance crisis.” Refusing to back down, Kennedy asserted, ” I know you don’t want to talk about things that that undermine your confident assertions. ”
Watch Kennedy below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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