Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said he plans to block Energy and State Department nominees in protest of President Joe Biden’s decision to pause new liquified natural gas projects.
As The New York Times explains, Biden’s decision pauses (not ends) “the permitting process for new liquefied natural gas export facilities in order to analyze their impact on climate change, the economy and national security.” The Washington Post notes that younger people consider such facilities “climate bombs.”
Toward the end of Kennedy’s interview on Fox News today, host Neil Cavuto said, "You have vowed to block the energy and state nominees being considered for positions because of this pause in liquified natural gas production, important obviously to your state, important to the country. I'm just wondering though, could you be pulling, with the best of intentions, a Sen. Tommy Tuberville here, who blocked military promotions over objections to the Pentagon abortion policy? Could you be going that route?"
Kennedy said coyly, “I could be, but I won't be.” But it sure sounded like he would be. “I'm going to be very selective in who I block. But the truth is, in trying to stop exporting of liquified gas, the president is committing energy suicide for America, and he's hurting the environment at the same time, and I think he's doing it, frankly, just to pander to the loon wing of his party, but it's going to do a lot of damage to the world, to America, and to energy independence, and frankly to CO2 emissions."
"Why should state or energy department nominees for positions be sacrificed over this cause, an important cause, I understand, where you're coming from." Cavuto asked.
"Two wrongs don't make a right, but they do make it even,” Kennedy replied. “Until the president is willing to back off of this absurd position, I'm going to hold up some of his nominees. Not all of them, if somebody's really crucial, I'll let him go through, but I'm going to do it."
This is ridiculous. Tuberville got no concessions as the result of his blockade.
You can watch the Kennedy interview below, from the January 31, 2024 Your World.