Kamala Harris has been mocked online for posting a Thanksgiving photo of her kitchen, featuring a gas stove.
The head of the nation’s top consumer watchdog, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, said last year that his agency might take some regulatory action.
It came in the face of growing research that links gas stoves to pollutants that harm both human health and the environment.
Republicans seized on the idea claiming that the Biden administration wanted to ban gas stoves which the White House was forced to deny after the memo surfaced.
‘Good morning to everyone except the never ending hypocrisy of the Commie Left – nice gas stove Kamala,’ tweeted ‘Catturd’ – a popular conservative commentator, with 2.1 million followers.
Mike Collins, a member of the House representing Georgia, wrote on X: ‘Is that a gas stove?’
Scott Walker, the Republican former governor of Wisconsin, asked the same.
And actor Kevin Sorbo, star of the 1990s TV series Hercules, tweeted: ‘I thought gas stoves were bad for the environment.’
Berny Jacques, a state politician for Florida, used the post to urge people to move to his state.
‘Meanwhile they want you to give up your gas stoves, while they live it up with theirs,’ he said.
‘Friendly Reminder: not only will gas stoves remain legal in Florida, we also made them tax free!’
Joe Biden said that he does not support banning gas stoves, and White House spokesman Michael Kikukawa said: ‘The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning gas stoves.’
The saga began in October 2022, when Richard Trumka Jr, the Biden-appointed head of the consumer watchdog, wrote a memo to another commissioner saying there was enough evidence for the CPSC to start the rule-making process to ban new gas stoves.
‘The need for gas stove regulation has reached a boiling point,’ Trumka said.
‘CPSC has the responsibility to ban consumer products that emit hazardous substances, particularly, when those emissions harm children, under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.
‘Emerging evidence is sufficient to conclude that gas stoves in homes emit toxic gasses that cause illness and that lower-cost, safer alternatives are available.’
In January this year, Trumka told Bloomberg that the watchdog was considering recommending a ban on the sale of new gas stoves.
The White House insisted they did not back a ban on stoves.
But in February, the Department of Energy issued recommendations ‘for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including consumer conventional cooking products’.
Joe Biden said that he does not support banning gas stoves, and White House spokesman Michael Kikukawa said: ‘The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning gas stoves’
The department is required to review consumer products, and assess their cost and impact.
They do not issue bans on consumer goods, but rather say what the standards should be going forward.
‘As required by Congress, the Department of Energy is proposing efficiency standards for gas and electric cooktops – we are not proposing bans on either,’ said an Energy Department spokesperson.
‘The proposed standards would not go into effect until 2027 and cumulatively save the nation up to $1.7 billion.
‘Every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today.’