GOP lawmaker says ‘climate hoax believers’ deny impact of photosynthesis

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) on Thursday accused “climate hoax believers” of lying about his statements concerning global warming and the impact of photosynthesis on the environment. 

“Climate hoax believers lie about my statements and belittle photosynthesis,” Gosar wrote on Twitter in response to a report about comments he made during a press conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill. 

Climate hoax believers lie about my statements and belittle photosynthesis https://t.co/75yd3VG6oy

— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) February 28, 2019

The GOP lawmaker held a press conference Wednesday to voice his opposition to the proposed “Green New Deal,” a sweeping initiative introduced by Democratic lawmakers to combat climate change. 

A young person asked Gosar at the news conference how he was addressing climate change. 

“Unfortunately you haven’t been taught about photosynthesis,” Gosar responded, according to Axios. “Photosynthesis is where plants take carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. That’s a problem in today’s world.{mosads}

“We haven’t taught kids exactly what’s going on in America and in science,” he added, according to the outlet.

Gosar accused Axios of misrepresenting his comments in its report, calling it a “great example” of a “complete falsehood.”

“At no point did I say the climate wasn’t changing,” he wrote on Twitter. “Pure lie. And for you or anyone to assert photosynthesis is not a part of the CO2 cycle reflects true ignorance.”

Great example here of a complete falsehood. At no point did I say the climate wasn’t changing. Pure lie. And for you or anyone to assert photosynthesis is not a part of the CO2 cycle reflects true ignorance.

— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) February 28, 2019

Gosar said in a statement to The Hill that he explained photosynthesis at the news conference in response to a Green New Deal supporter who had questioned the facts he presented.

“Yesterday, after more than two hours of expert witnesses testifying about the fundamental flaws and implausibility of the Green New Deal, a young supporter of the Green Deal, posing as a reporter during our press conference, went on a tirade, questioned the facts that had been presented and asked me what I was doing to reduce C02 emissions,” Gosar said.

“I discussed how photosynthesis works and pointed out that utilizing an all-of-above energy strategy that allows competition and innovation is the main reason the U.S. was the world leader in carbon emissions reductions in 2015, 2016 and 2017,” he said.

The Green New Deal, a resolution introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), calls for the federal government to make sweeping reforms in order to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. 

The nonbinding legislation, which strives to produce “good, high-wage jobs,” is being championed by progressives and has been widely panned by conservatives. 

Updated 3:45 p.m.