While the hearing was focused on fossil fuels, Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri diverted the conversation to the topic of race.
As a self-described member of the ultra-progressive House “squad,” Bush criticized energy sector expert Alex Epstein, whom she labeled as “a philosopher who has previously espoused white supremacist views.” But, the supposed “white supremacist views” turned out to be Epstein’s college writings from over 23 years ago, the Western Journal reported.
“’The African American Studies Department has 23 classes. In many of these classes, African culture is presented not as inferior to Western culture, but as on equal footing with it,’” Bush quoted Epstein as writing in a paper, going on to note that he wrote the same thing for “Latin American, Indian and American Indian culture.”
“We are not inferior to any culture, speaking as a descendant of one of those cultures,” Bush said.
She also went on to claim, without offering a shred of evidence, that Epstein was there to “promote fossil fuels, which we know are disproportionately harming and killing black and brown people.”
When I agreed to testify about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, I didn't expect the hearing's lead Democrat, @CoriBush, to make a prepared statement falsely accusing me of having "espoused White Supremacist views"!
Fortunately, I got the chance to respond.
Here's how it went. pic.twitter.com/lgS4RNlbyz
— Alex Epstein (@AlexEpstein) March 9, 2023
Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), granted Epstein an additional minute to respond to Bush’s comments.
“Thanks for giving a moment to address a truly despicable and false attack on me claiming anything I’ve ever said is white supremacist and then try to imply that somehow applies today,” Epstein noted in his pushback.
“What I argued for my entire adult life is that Western culture is superior in the sense that it promotes individualism and freedom. And I have fought my entire life for freedom around the world, including in Africa, including in Asia, including in India,” he said, going on to defend his belief that parts of the world are inferior to the U.S. and Western culture in general.
“There are different places around the world that are in many ways inferior. They have female genital mutilation, they have slavery. These are not as good as not mutilating females’ genitals and not enslaving people. So I make no apology,” he said, adding that ideas and skin color are not equal.
“The idea that this is associated with skin color is despicable and racist. Skin color has nothing to do with ideas. Where you came from geographically is irrelevant. What’s relevant is what’s true. That was an insane diversion from the truth,” he said.
Later, during an appearance with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Epstein vented his disgust with the entire episode.
“I wrote very thorough testimony and sent it in to advance, and then this is what she leads with?” he said.
“It was so embarrassing… I made so many points and not one of those points was addressed. It was only accusations of that [racism] or accusations of being some sort of stooge for the fossil fuel industry, which I also refuted,” he added.
He went on to say that the current administration needed to do a 180 in terms of energy policy to ensure the country was energy security with tumultuous times ahead.
“We have a whole-of-government attack on fossil fuels. The first thing we need is a whole-of-government support for freedom for all forms of energy. Until that stops, the energy industry is going to be terrified,” he said.
