Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse was widely mocked after he posted a meme of himself breaking down in tears as he pumps gas in a dig at President Joe Biden, who he blames for high gas prices.
Rittenhouse's crying act appeared to be a reenactment of his crying during his trial, the clip of which was viewed more than two million times and that his critics said rang hopelessly false.
"No it's not Lemon Heads," Rittenhouse wrote on Twitter, referring to the sour candy. He added that Biden's presidency has left a "burning hole in my pocket."
In recent weeks, former President Donald Trump and prominent Republicans have blamed Biden for spiking gas prices, an issue that continues to be touched upon in daily press briefings. The implication, of course, is that gas prices remained low during the Trump administration but that is not necessarily true.
In recent months, for example, Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the size of the price increase, telling stories on Fox News in which the price of gas when he left office is off by "more than 50 cents per gallon," according to one fact check.
According to price data collected by the federal Energy Information Administration, the national average price of a gallon of gasoline for the week of Jan. 18, 2021, the week Trump left office, was $2.38, which is 28 percent higher than Trump has previously claimed.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has more than once sparred with Fox News reporters who have asked why the White House isn't increasing domestic energy production, a question that has received criticism because the White House does not have control over it.
Rittenhouse was swiftly criticized.
Rittenhouse has remained a darling among the right since he was acquitted of all charges relating to the fatal shootings of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during the Kenosha unrest, which took place after police officers shot and partially paralyzed Jacob Blake, a Black man.
He has long courted the adoration of conservatives, including prominent Republicans who have offered him a wealth of opportunities following his acquittal.
Republican Representatives Madison Cawthorn (North Carolina), Paul Gosar (Arizona) and Matt Gaetz (Florida) have faced heavy criticism after indicating their offices would offer Rittenhouse a position as a congressional intern.
Gosar, in particular, said he would "arm wrestle" Gaetz to "get dibs for Rittenhouse as an intern" and suggested elsewhere that Rittenhouse should be granted the congressional Medal of Honor.
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