Sen. Inhofe To EPA Nominee Radhika Fox: ‘If You Don’t Behave, I’m Going To Talk To Your Daddy’

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe told Environment Protection Agency (EPA) nominee Radhika Fox he would “talk to [her] daddy” if she didn’t “behave.”

Fox was addressing changes to the “Waters of the United States” rule during her confirmation hearing for the EPA’s Office of Water assistant administrator position on Wednesday, CNN reported. The rule changes, made in 2018, altered Obama administration policy that Republican critics characterized as overreach.

Inhofe stopped her as she was answering the question, saying he needed to save his time for other nominees and questions. He added that he appreciated the comments and looked forward to working with her.

“And if you don’t behave, I’m going to talk to your daddy, okay?” Inhofe concluded, garnering a laugh from Fox. (RELATED: Biden EPA Nominee Faces Questions About Agency’s Independence During Confirmation Hearing)

EPA nominee Radhika Fox gave a nice shout-out to her father, who was seated behind her during her confirmation hearing, in her opening statement.

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) later joked: “I will look forward to working with you. And if you don’t behave, I will talk to your Daddy.” pic.twitter.com/K0RiWRyyAK

— The Recount (@therecount) May 13, 2021

Inhofe also praised Fox’s opening statement, in which she said her accomplishments were because she “stands on the shoulders of [her] parents’ hard work,” The Hill reported.

“Sen. Inhofe is always moved by the family stories of nominees, and was especially touched by Ms. Fox’s tribute to her father during the opening remarks,” Inhofe’s Communications Director Leacy Burke told CNN, adding that Fox’s father was at the hearing.

Fox is one of several nominees to the EPA after President Joe Biden and new Secretary Michael Regan purged the agency of Trump-era appointees in March in an effort to “improve the EPA’s reliance on science.”

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