Former SCORPIONS Drummer JAMES KOTTAK Slams Leading Democratic Presidential Hopefuls As 'Hypocrites'

Former SCORPIONS and current KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak has slammed several of the leading Democratic presidential hopefuls, saying that they are "hypocrites" who are doing their best to please African American voters.

On Monday (January 20),Kottak took to his Twitter to write: "[Bernie] Sanders, [Elizabeth] Warren, [Joe] Biden, and all are hypocrites ...pandering to the blacks. It has not worked unless you want everything for free...I work for a living and pay a fortune in taxes...any Q's?"

Last November, Kottak stirred up controversy when he said that blacks in American ads and commercials were way overrepresented relative to their population share. This was the second time Kottak publicly called out what he saw as disproportionate representation of certain races in advertising. Last October, he tweeted that he was "sick" of seeing commercials featuring "interracial couples," insisting that "this is not reality. It is Hollywood shoving it down our throat," he added. "I don't have one friend or friends who live in this category...just saying"

In recent months, Kottak has repeatedly used Twitter as a way to voice his controversial views. In early November, he opined that "all law enforcement should be men." In September, he raised eyebrows when he questioned whether climate change is real, writing in a series of since-deleted tweets: "Tell me when one time you have seen 'killed from climate change' or 'death from second hand smoke' appeared on a gravestone....and I am a total anti smoker... it's all b s"

Back in July, he angered some people on the social media platform when he wrote that "anyone against America is a socialist communist asshole." The unusual Independence Day greetings came after the musician wished his 18 thousand followers a happy holiday on Twitter.

"Happy Fourth.... Trump rules!" the 57-year-old musician wrote, adding in a separate tweet: "Any one against America is a socialist communist a hole ."

In June, Kottak, who calls himself a "news political junkie" on Twitter, made BLABBERMOUTH.NETheadlines when he said that America should take care of its "homeless problem" before accepting any more "outsiders."

Kottak has spent much of the last year and a half touring with the reunited KINGDOM COME, also featuring guitarists Danny Stag and Rick Steier, bassist Johnny B. Frank and singer Keith St. John (formerly of MONTROSE and LYNCH MOB).

In September 2016, Kottak was dismissed from SCORPIONS during his well-publicized battle with alcoholism and was replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD member Mikkey Dee.

SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs later said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. "We reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it," Jabs said.