At the age of 89, James Inhofe, a well-known Republican from Oklahoma and a pillar of the ideological right in the US Congress, passed away.
Inhofe’s steadfast support of US military power and opposition to environmental regulations defined his career. He is well known for calling climate change science a hoax. His death was reported by The Tulsa World, which referenced family members. According to the report, specifics about the services are still awaited.
Inhofe was an avid pilot as well; in 1991, he made history by circumnavigating the globe by the same path that aviation pioneer Wiley Post had taken half a century earlier.
Inhofe was referred to as a “dear friend and mentor, a titan in Oklahoma, and a highly effective leader in D.C.” on Tuesday by Rep. Kevin Hern, a Republican from Oklahoma.
“Tammy and I are keeping Kay and the rest of the Inhofe family in our prayers,” Hern said in a statement. “Jim spent his life in service to his country, both in uniform and in the halls of Congress. He will always be remembered as a fighter, especially for our military service members.”
James Inhofe was the mayor of Tulsa, the second-biggest city in Oklahoma, for eight years prior to his lengthy tenure in the U.S. Senate. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
After winning a Senate seat in 1994, he became the oldest and most tenured senator from Oklahoma. Inhofe announced his retirement in 2023 at the age of 88, citing COVID-19’s long-term effects as his cause.
WaPo @EmilyLangerWP disrespects the late-Sen. James Inhofe as a "climate-change denier."
Sen. Inhofe was one of the earliest and the most outspoken Republicans on the climate hoax.
He was correct. His opponents wrong, if not just lying. The left hates him for it.… pic.twitter.com/hwGmYx7VCd
— Steve Milloy (@JunkScience) July 10, 2024
One of the most conservative senators, Inhofe was renowned for using abrasive language to criticize his ideological and political rivals. In his capacity as the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman, he was a prominent Republican spokesperson on climate change matters.
“You say something over and over and over and over again, and people will believe it, and that’s their strategy,” he said of environmentalists, scientists, and public officials who embraced the theory that manmade emissions are changing the earth’s climate. He said the strategy reminded him of “the Third Reich, the big lie.”
