Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and former Secretary of State John Kerry squared off on Twitter on Wednesday after Massie criticized Kerry’s testimony in a climate change hearing.
During the House Oversight Committee hearing, which took place Tuesday, Kerry appeared as an expert witness and took questions on the national security threat posed by climate change.
WATCH:
.@RepThomasMassie grills John Kerry on historic atmospheric CO2 levels at climate change hearing.
Kerry complains that it’s “just not a serious conversation.”
Massie: “Your testimony is not serious. When you can’t answer the question, that’s the best answer you got.” pic.twitter.com/Eyx5t59mOa
— Nate Madden (@NateOnTheHill) April 9, 2019
After a heated exchange, Massie took to Twitter to vent his frustrations. “Have you noticed that the scientists who feel most qualified to weigh in on climate science are political scientists?” he tweeted on Wednesday morning. (RELATED: Thomas Massie Stands With MAGA Hat Kids)
Have you noticed that the scientists who feel most qualified to weigh in on climate science are political scientists? ????#sassywithmassie
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 10, 2019
Kerry responded by sharing a tweet from Rolling Stone that mocked Massie, along with his own comment, “It’s almost as if someone said ‘Congress has hit rock bottom’ and Massie replies with ‘hold my beer.'”
It’s almost as if someone said “Congress has hit rock bottom” and Massie replies with “hold my beer.” https://t.co/UtkOHFwnlz
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) April 10, 2019
Massie fired right back. “It’s almost as if someone said ‘No one has less knowledge of science, a higher opinion of himself, and a bigger carbon footprint than Al Gore’ and Kerry replies ‘hold my champagne, I’m going to testify as a climate change expert,'” Massie tweeted.
It’s almost as if someone said “No one has less knowledge of science, a higher opinion of himself, and a bigger carbon footprint than Al Gore” and Kerry replies “hold my champagne, I’m going to testify as a climate change expert.” https://t.co/sSCbKMCuZK
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 10, 2019
Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also testified at Tuesday’s hearing, arguing that climate change is a “threat multiplier” that can dramatically increase the inherent risk of things like natural disasters, military actions and even public health emergencies.