The Biden administration, which has overseen record-breaking chaos at the border, from illegal immigration to drug smuggling, is now patting itself on the back for arresting one guy for smuggling—wait for it—greenhouse gases. Yes, this is where the Democrats’ priorities lie: not securing the border, not stopping fentanyl, but stopping refrigerants. The Environmental Protection Agency gleefully touted this “historic” arrest in its 2024 annual report, and if that doesn’t make you roll your eyes, nothing will.
The case centers around Michael Hart, a 58-year-old from San Diego, who was convicted of smuggling hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons into the U.S. from Mexico. According to court documents, Hart bought these gases south of the border, snuck them into the country in his vehicle, and sold them online. The Department of Justice called these gases “potent greenhouse gases,” but let’s get real—this guy isn’t exactly El Chapo. The EPA boasted that Hart’s arrest was the “first-ever criminal charges for a crime related to climate change.” Because clearly, that’s the crime Americans are most worried about these days, right?
The EPA, naturally, is thrilled. Assistant Administrator David Uhlmann declared that this arrest “sent a clear signal that polluters will be held accountable.” A clear signal to whom, exactly? To middle-class families struggling with inflation, skyrocketing energy costs, and an open border crisis, this is just another example of misplaced priorities.
How do you know the EPA needs to be reined in?
Joe Biden's EPA made its first "climate change" arrest.
Cc: @leezeldin pic.twitter.com/ypuoQJjQOs
— Daniel Turner (@DanielTurnerPTF) December 11, 2024
Meanwhile, the EPA bragged about slapping polluters with $1.7 billion in penalties this year, the highest since 2017. They’re particularly proud of their enforcement of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which requires an 85 percent reduction in hydrofluorocarbons by 2036. In their minds, Hart’s arrest is just the beginning, with the EPA promising, “it will not be the last.” Well, that’s comforting—except it doesn’t do anything to address the actual problems facing this country.
President-elect Donald Trump, on the other hand, understands that real leadership means putting Americans first. His choice of Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA is a clear sign of what’s to come. Zeldin will focus on practical solutions that protect the environment without destroying jobs or prioritizing pointless virtue-signaling arrests. Trump has already shown he’s ready to take on the regulatory state, and the EPA under his leadership won’t be wasting its time chasing down refrigerants while real threats to Americans are ignored.
