'Climate expert' skier Gus Schumacher reveals Democrats apologized over his ... trends now
The 23-year-old skier introduced by Democrats as an 'expert witness' at a Senate hearing on climate change has revealed the party apologized to him for his mauling at the hands of Republican John Kennedy.
Olympic hopeful Gus Schumacher was invited by Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse to testify as the Budget Committee considered the impact of climate change on the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation industry.
But he struggled to answer basic questions and could not remember his tweets claiming the war on drugs was designed to jail black people, and calling for the police to be abolished.
In one excruciating exchange Kennedy corrected his asserting that Carbon Dioxide is a 'huge part of our atmosphere', pointing out that it accounts for 0.04 percent, but the skier told Dailymail.com that Whitehouse was 'pretty cheerful' afterwards.
'He apologized for Senator Kennedy and mentioned that it's not the first time he's done that aggressive line of questioning that's not entirely related,' Schumacher added.
Democrats invited US Olympic skier Gus Schumacher to the Budget Committee to answer questions on 'Recreation at Risk: The Nature of Climate Costs'
Schumacher (right) was invited to speak by Democrat Budget Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (left) and appeared alongside Hilary Hutcheson, a fishing guide and outfitter from Montana
'I don't think anyone from my team was expecting that approach, he did a good job of making these questions really silly.
The three-time junior gold medalist was representing the lobby group Protect Our Winters after previous testimony from economists, scientists, medical professionals, insurance and investment executives.
But it was all downhill for Schumacher as he tried to fend off Kennedy's interrogation which began with a question about what carbon dioxide is.
'I went to high school, but carbon dioxide is a gas,' the skier told him
'I'm not a professional to talk about carbon dioxide so much.'
But Kennedy demanded an explanation about the gas's role in climate change.
'Carbon dioxide is, what I see it as, you know, a gas that exists in our atmosphere,' Schumacher explained.
'Is it a major part of our atmosphere?' Kennedy asked innocently.
'It's a huge part of our atmosphere,' the skier insisted.
'It's a very small part of our atmosphere,' the Senator pointed out.
'Well, okay. But, yeah. I don't know. What are you asking specifically?' Schumacher replied.
'You said we need to reduce carbon emissions,' Kennedy
