WATCH: NewsNation Guest Accuses Fellow Panelist of Being a Koch Brothers Shill, Then Totally Wrecks His Book Plug in Wild Debate
A NewsNation discussion on American energy got intense when one panelist accused her counterpart of being a minion for the Koch brothers with his argument in favor of using fossil fuel sources.
Environmental commentator Betsy Rosenberg and Center for Industrial Progress founder Alex Epstein joined NewsNation’s Aaron Nolan on Friday to discuss the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. The ruling determines that the Clean Air Act does not grant the EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, which raises questions about whether federal agencies have the authority to regulate various industries for their climate change impact. The decision comes amid ongoing uproar over the Supreme Court striking down of Roe v. Wade.
Rosenberg accused Epstein of “distorting” the science while sounding the alarm on the effects of global warming. Epstein retorted by accusing Rosenberg of “ignoring the benefits of fossil fuels which has caused an energy crisis.” They proceeded to spar with each other as Epstein argued that “we’re safer from climate than ever because of fossil fuels.”
“The fact that we’ve warmed the planet one degree does not mean a catastrophe unless you have this primitive religious view that change is evil and hellish just because we caused it,” Epstein said. “The earth is a much better place. We’re safer than ever from climate, and the only thing going wrong is the energy policies that you support are starving people around the world.”
“You’re doing a very good job for the Koch brothers, who support you and fund you,” Rosenberg said in response.
“Incorrect,” Epstein shot back. “Another incorrect statement.”
The segment came to a raucous end with Epstein promoting his book, Fossil Future, which Rosenberg scoffed at — declaring the tome to be “full of lies.”
Days after the debate aired, Epstein posted it on his Twitter feed while accusing Rosenberg of “lying about me because she has no argument against the benefits of fossil fuel energy.”
“You’re doing a very good job for the Koch brothers, who support you and fund you”
– @Betsy_Rosenberg on @NewsNation, lying about me because she has no argument against the benefits of fossil fuel energy
With @AaronNolanNews pic.twitter.com/4ZTF8ZncLP
— Alex Epstein (@AlexEpstein) July 5, 2022
As Epstein stands by his insistence to the contrary, the center-left watchdog group Accountable.US has described Epstein as “a Koch-funded ‘philosopher’ who frequently pushes climate denial while promoting the increased use of fossil fuels.”
Watch above, via NewsNation.
