Politico reported last week that United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is leaving the Biden White House.

While Kerry's resignation was lamented by some Washington insiders, there are others who won't be missing him. 

Kerry cites Hatch Act in decision to step down

According to Politico, Kerry is stepping down so he can focus on assisting with President Joe Biden's reelection efforts.

Kerry confirmed that fact when speaking with Bloomberg TV at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week.

He pointed to the Hatch Act, which restricts the ability of federal government employees to participate in political campaigns.

Kerry's decision to depart from the Biden administration was noted by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, who took his seat after Kerry resigned from the Senate in 2013.

Markey says Kerry is owed "an enormous debt of gratitude"

"John Kerry was an historic diplomat not only for our country, but for the entire planet," Markey wrote in a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.

John Kerry was an historic diplomat not only for our country, but for the entire planet. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude for his profound service. A statesman who showed up every day with optimism to fight the climate crisis and bring the rest of the world along with him. https://t.co/cowH4hVv53

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) January 13, 2024

Markey insisted that Americans "owe an enormous debt of gratitude" to Kerry due to "his profound service" he has provided.

The senator added that Kerry "showed up every day with optimism to fight the climate crisis and bring the rest of the world along with him."

"Why are you such a hypocrite?"

However, not everyone is so impressed by Kerry. His critics included Avi Yemini, who serves as a reporter for the conservative outlet Rebel News.

Fox News reported that Kerry snapped at Yemini after the latter asked him about the carbon footprint of major events like the one in Davos, calling it "a stupid question."

"It was so ironic that he called it a stupid question because I think… it shows how out of touch he is and how out of touch all of them are, because that's probably the most basic question that the average Joe I imagine in America, I know certainly in Australia, are asking like, 'why are you such a hypocrite?'" Yemini told Fox News.

Kerry was also questioned about his carbon output several years ago after he flew to Iceland on a private jet in order to accept an award for his work regarding climate change.