OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan ripped into President Joe Biden over his administration’s reported talks with the authoritarian governments of Iran and Venezuela to supply oil to the U.S. to make up for a ban on Russian crude imports.
In an interview with “Fox & Friends” Tuesday morning ahead of Biden’s announcement the U.S. would suspend importation of Russian oil, the Ohio Republican accused the president of being too “afraid” to stand up to the far-left faction of his Democratic Party on the issue of fossil fuels.
“I sat in a hearing a few months ago where Ro Khanna, a Democrat member from California — the state that’s now got a $7 gas. He had the oil and gas executives there in front of them, and he badgered every one of them, asking them one simple question: Will you pledge to decrease production this year?” Jordan said.
“I mean, the Democrats want $7 gas. So that is the biggest problem,” he continued.
“What that means to middle-class families, how that hurts our economy, how that drives up the price of everything because you got – it takes fuel to move goods around the country,” Jordan added.
“So it’s complete craziness, but that’s where the left is today. And unfortunately, they have complete control of the Democrat Party, and Joe Biden, I think, is afraid to stand up to them,” he explained.
“That’s why he’s talking to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and Iran, for goodness sake,” Jordan continued.
WATCH:
Other Republican lawmakers have also blasted Biden for talking to despotic regimes to increase U.S. oil supplies rather than simply tap into the abundant oil and gas resources throughout the United States.
The Daily Wire reported:
Republican leaders and conservative commentators castigated the Biden administration after reports that the administration was seeking to buy oil from Venezuela in order to fill gaps in the energy supply caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The New York Times reported Saturday that senior U.S. government officials were traveling to Venezuela to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in an effort to pry the country away from its relationship with Russia. The U.S. had cut off diplomatic efforts with Venezuela during the Trump administration, closing the embassy in Caracas in 2019. The U.S. then imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry and many of the country’s senior government officials, and recognized opposition party leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president.
Maduro responded to sanctions by turning to Russia, Iran, and China for economic and diplomatic aid.
“Joe Biden using #Russia as an excuse to do the deal they always wanted to do anyway with the #MaduroRegime,” Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio commented. “Rather than produce more American oil he wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictator.”
Joe Biden using #Russia as an excuse to do the deal they always wanted to do anyway with the #MaduroRegime
Rather than produce more American oil he wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictatorhttps://t.co/HA7X71r2Mn
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 6, 2022
“[Shaking my head]. Can we focus on domestic energy development already?” Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie tweeted.
SMH. Can we focus on domestic energy development already?https://t.co/EMTdaf0TML
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 6, 2022
“Why is Joe Biden more interested in getting oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela than the United States?” asked Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee.
Why is Joe Biden more interested in getting oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela than the United States?
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) March 6, 2022
“Rather than making America energy independent, Biden wants to buy oil from Maduro — yet another murderous thug,” said Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Troubling pattern from this administration as they continue to embolden our enemies.”
Rather than making America energy independent, Biden wants to buy oil from Maduro — yet another murderous thug. Troubling pattern from this administration as they continue to embolden our enemies. https://t.co/dEfp4PqGSr
— Jeanette Nuñez (@LtGovNunez) March 6, 2022
