A House Democratic staff member is getting slammed on social media after gushing about President Biden eliminating his $8,000 student loan debt while showing off extravagant spending habits.
Ben Kamens, the communications director for Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio, got some unwanted attention on social media this week. A photo of a document was shared, revealing that the user’s student loans, totaling $8,250 and dating back to 2010, had been eliminated thanks to Biden’s recent student loan relief program. Almost 20 million views were generated by the post.
Kamens earned $80,000 last year and is projected to make around $90,000 this year.
It didn’t go over well when social media users did a deep dive into Kamen’s past posts and found many featuring visits to upscale restaurants and purchases of luxurious items.
Kamens recently posted photos of an expensive seafood tower featuring succulent lobster and fresh oysters. Seafood towers typically cost upward of $100.
In May, Kamens posted pictures of food from the high-end Brazilian steakhouse Grill in Ipanema.
In July last year, Kamens revealed that he possessed season tickets for the Philadelphia Eagles. On average, these tickets cost $2,692 annually.
In recent years, Kamens has been quite active in sharing updates about his travel experiences and stays at Airbnb accommodations. Last month, he shared a photo of himself enjoying a hot tub with a breathtaking view.
One of Kamens’ many selfies showed him smoking a cigar at what seemed like an event from April’s “Nerd Prom” in Washington, D.C., among other ostentatious displays of wealth and partying.
Consumers Defense Executive Director Sal Nuzzo offered some commentary on X, saying that those who went to technical and vocational schools should not have to pay for the lavish lifestyles of congressional staffers who take out loans to fund their extravagant lifestyles. He found the conduct disgusting.
A video shared online by journalist Matthew Foldi captured Kamens outside Kaptur’s office on Thursday. When asked about his viral post in the video, Kamens declined to comment. He then ducked into Kaptur’s office and shut the door behind him.
Kaptur has consistently opposed legislation that sought to cancel Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan.
