A Democratic House staffer who came under fire for praising President Biden after his $8,000 student loan debt was erased faces even more scrutiny on social media for posts showing expensive spending habits while earns a salary of more than $90,000 per year.
Ben Kamens, communications director for veteran Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, sparked a social media firestorm which received nearly 20 million views this week when it posted a document showing that its $8,250 in student loans dating back to 2010 had been erased following Biden's latest student loan bailout.
“I just received a call to inform me that my student debt has been canceled,” Kamens wrote. “This is why elections are important. Thank you @JoeBiden.”
Conservatives on social media criticized Kamens for working in the government and apparently boasting that taxpayers foot the bill for his debt. Kamens earned $80,000 last year and is on track to earn close to $90,000 this year, according to Legistorm.
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Congressional staffer Ben Kamens (left) and President Biden. (Ben Kamens/Getty Facebook Page)
Criticism of Kamens intensified when social media users noticed previous posts showing Kamens posting at expensive restaurants and purchasing expensive items.
“Phone eats first,” Kamens posted earlier this month alongside photos of a seafood tower containing lobster and oysters next to a cocktail.
“At the Ipanema Grill, the phone eats first,” Kamens posted in May along with photos of food presumably from the high-end Brazilian steakhouse.
Last July, Kamens posted that he had a season ticket to the Philadelphia Eagles, which the New York Post reported costs $2,692 annually on average.
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Posts from account X belonging to Ben Kamens.
Kamens has posted several times about traveling and staying at Airbnb locations in recent years, including a post last month when he was sitting in a hot tub with the caption “Jacuzzi with a view.”
Kamens has also posted several photos of the city with drinks, including a post of him smoking a cigar with the caption “we're here” at what appeared to be a Washington, D.C. “Nerd Prom” event in April.
“The median income in OH-09 is $62,000,” said NRCC Communications Director Jack Pandol. published in X in response to Kamens' post on seafood tower. “Ohioans who work hard, save and pay off their own loans can't afford seafood brunch towers.”
“The student loan debate in two tweets,” Red State editor Bill “Streiff” Crews posted, with an image of the seafood tower and the letter Kamens. published in X. “Kamens makes $90,000 a year and works for Rep. Marcy Kaptur.”
“Remember this, every time you think that those who attended vocational and technical schools should pay the cost of student loans taken out by Congressional staff by eating and drinking while they make fun of you,” Sal Nuzzo, senior vice president of the James Madison Institute . published in X. “Because that's what's happening and it's absolutely disgusting.”
“Rarely is the Democratic political vision shown so clearly”, Dominic Pino wrote about Kamens in an article for National Review.
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Kamens was seen outside Kaptur's office on Thursday in a video posted online by journalist Matthew Foldi. In the video, Kamens is asked questions about his viral post and he refuses to speak before entering Kaptur's office and slamming the door.
Additionally, Rep. Kaptur faces criticism as a result of his post due to inconsistent positions on student loan bailouts.
“What about people who paid off their loans?” Kaptur said as he speaks out against Biden's plan to cancel student loan debt in 2022.
“There was no consultation with Congress,” Kaptur said. “The last time I reviewed the Constitution, you cannot impact the bottom line of the federal treasury without some bill passing through Congress. I think the president probably overstepped his authority in this case. My expectation is that it will reach the courts. I'm not sure how that will happen.”
Kaptur previously voted against the legislation that would have canceled Biden's student debt forgiveness plan.
“It's obvious that Joe Biden's unconstitutional student loan forgiveness sham is the easiest way for him to buy votes, but Marcy Kaptur's voting record in support of this plan shows how out of touch she is with Northwest Ohio voters “said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella. he told Fox News Digital.
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Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, questions Energy Secretary Rick Perry during a House Appropriations, Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies subcommittee hearing in the Rayburn Building. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Kaptur is involved in what is expected to be a tight re-election race this fall against Republican challenger Derek Merrin, who told Fox News Digital that “Marcy Kaptur refuses to stand up for the Ohio values of hard work and personal responsibility.
“His voting record on Biden's student loan bailout is the latest example. Northwest Ohioans who work hard every day are not responsible for paying others' student loan bills. Period.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kaptur's office for comment but did not receive a response.
