(The Center Square) – A U.S. House Democrat blasted President Joe Biden for his planned ritzy dinner with France’s leader Emmanuel Macron.
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, called out Biden on Twitter, suggesting the president is a hypocrite for crushing the lobster industry with strict regulations while purchasing 200 lobsters from Maine for the state dinner with Macron.
Golden has spoken against regulations limiting lobster harvesting for environmental reasons.
“If the Biden White House can prioritize purchasing 200 Maine lobsters for a fancy dinner, @POTUS should also take the time to meet with the Maine lobstermen his administration is currently regulating out of business,” Golden wrote on Twitter.
Biden is scheduled to spend Thursday with Macron, including a morning bilateral meeting, a press conference around noon, as well as the dinner.
The criticism comes as Maine’s lobster industry is under fire from environmental groups over concerns about its impact on north Atlantic right whales.
As The Center Square previously reported, Whole Foods will stop selling lobster caught in the Gulf of Maine at hundreds of its retail stores across the country. The company cited concerns raised by sustainability groups, including the Marine Stewardship Council, which has withdrawn its endorsement of the U.S. lobster industry.
