Trump-loving lawmaker freaks out after being mocked for scientifically illiterate climate change claim

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), the Trump-loving lawmaker who was attacked by his own family in campaign ads last fall, made an utterly baffling statement about climate change on Thursday -- and then angrily attacked an environmental activist who made fun of him for it.

Axios reported on Thursday that Gosar tried to downplay the science of climate change by making an utterly nonsensical point about photosynthesis.

When asked by a young person what he was doing to help fix climate change, Gosar said that "unfortunately you haven't been taught about photosynthesis," which "is where plants take carbon dioxide to produce oxygen."

"That's a problem in today's world," Gosar added. "We haven't taught kids exactly what's going on in America and in science."

The problem isn't plants absorbing CO2, however, but human activity creating an imbalance of CO2 in the atmosphere by pumping out more carbon than plants and oceans can absorb.

Climate activist Brad Johnson proceeded to ridicule Gosar on Twitter by joking that he "can't wait" for him to "explain how refined sugar can't cause cavities because [of the] Krebs cycle."

And angry Gosar shot back and said he never denied that the climate was changing, but was only questioning whether CO2 was responsible.

"At no point did I say the climate wasn’t changing," Gosar replied. "Pure lie. And for you or anyone to assert photosynthesis is not a part of the CO2 cycle reflects true ignorance."

In a followup tweet, Gosar attacked "climate hoax believers" for "belittling photosynthesis."