Locals impacted by the recent train derailment in Ohio, which released toxic chemicals into the air and water, are not pleased by the lack of involvement by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, so much so that some residents made that abundantly clear during a recent town hall.
“Where’s Pete Buttigieg?” One resident asked East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway. “Where’s he at?”
Experience The Political Insider without ads
“I don’t know,” replied Conaway, “Your guess is as good as me.”
Mayor Conaway also let it spill that the first time he had heard anything from the White House was this Tuesday, weeks after the catastrophic derailment occurred.
WATCH:
Residents ask the Mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, 'Where's Pete Buttigieg?'
MAYOR CONAWAY: I don't know. Your guess is as good as me. Yesterday was the first time I heard ANYTHING from the White House." pic.twitter.com/AlKG7mncwP
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 16, 2023
Experience The Political Insider without ads
Seriously, Where is Buttigieg?
Yesterday, Senators Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance co-wrote a letter requesting a summary of efforts done by the Department of Transportation in response to the situation.
Thus far the only recent piece of information the public has received from Buttigieg was a tweet sent out Tuesday night, stating that his department is “constrained by law on some areas of rail regulation (like the braking rule withdrawn by the Trump administration in 2018 because of a law passed by Congress in 2015), but we are using the powers we do have to keep people safe.”
Later on Wednesday, he responded to a Twitter exchange between Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Ilhan Omar, both demanding a “congressional inquiry and direct action” from Buttigieg.
He responded by reposting the comments, adding “Glad to see newfound bipartisan agreement here. We could start by discussing immediate steps Congress could take to address rail safety & reduce constraints on USDOT in this area. Give us a call, we can do some good work.”
Support Conservative Voices!
Sign up to receive the latest political news, insight, and commentary delivered directly to your inbox.
That’s the thing though, people are reaching out, in fact many important people continue to reach out yet Buttigieg has only seemed concerned with the number of white responders to the scene of the derailment.
Michael Regan, the administrator for the EPA, has responded frequently in regards to the situation in Ohio, and currently plans to visit East Palestine. Buttigieg’s response to that? Simply retweeting Regan’s video announcement; no announcements of his own to join Regan in his visit or to plan his own.
In response to an inquiry by Fox News Digital today, the Department of Transportation stated that the National Transportation Safety Board is currently the lead investigator regarding the incident in Ohio, while they are only in a “supporting role.”
What happened in East Palestine, Ohio is unacceptable.
And yet, Biden’s Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has been nowhere to be found. pic.twitter.com/OYeVMA4LQC
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 16, 2023
Experience The Political Insider without ads
RELATED: Shelter-in-Place Order Reinstated For Tucson After Dangerous Hazmat Spill
Calls to Resign
Many critics have called on Buttigieg to step down, claiming that this event is just one of many of examples of his inability to respond like a leader.
Experience The Political Insider without ads
Tudor Dixon, former candidate for governor of Michigan and someone with experience in industrial manufacturing, tweeted “Pete Buttigieg is a complete failure as transportation secretary and the latest derailment in Michigan is all the more reason he is unfit to serve.”
Dixon was referring to a derailment outside Detroit which occurred today. Reports indicate that this train could also have been transporting toxic chemicals as well.
The editorial board of the Washington Examiner has also publicly called for Buttigieg’s resignation.
“Buttigieg is notorious for wasting taxpayers’ time on fatuities such as ‘racist roads’ and gender-inclusive pronouns while transportation infrastructure falls apart,” the editorial stated. “A hyper ambitious politician with almost no useful experience, he is desperate to shore up his frayed relations with black Democratic voters, the result of his racially divisive tenure as mayor of South Bend, Indiana.”
Experience The Political Insider without ads
“If Buttigieg is serious about ‘equity,'” the piece continued, “he should resign and ask President Joe Biden to replace him with a black nominee. We are not keen on tokenism, but such a move would at least give the nation a better chance of competence at the DOT.”
Pete Buttigieg is a complete failure as transportation secretary and the latest derailment in Michigan is all the more reason he is unfit to serve. pic.twitter.com/pTHwfa7vgD
— Tudor Dixon (@TudorDixon) February 16, 2023
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”
Read this Next on ThePoliticalInsider.com
Biden Getting His Annual Physical, Former Obama Doctor Says He’s Worried: ‘Not a Young 80’
Leave a Comment
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.
Of course, the woke left will make this about him being gay. And not about his job performance!
Mayor Pete has never had a clue about the job that was given to him! He has no interest in his job, and wants to be mother of the year! Like Biden, he manages
to do his part in race baiting.
Congress is responsible for the laws that allow super-long trains to trek toxic substances across the rails; not Pete Buttigieg. When a commercial transit accident takes place ANYWHERE in the nation, a National Transportation Safety Board team is dispatched to the site immediately. Those are the people with the expertise to deal with the situation and its consequences. If you hurt yourself at school, the school doesn’t call your mom to patch you up. They use the school nurse, who is available and who has the skills to do the job. Please note the validity of the analogy.
How do I get a job with the Government where I can collect a big paycheck and not do any work. It seems like everytime there is a problem, he’s on vacation somewhere.
Resign? Heck, they’ll make him their presidential candidate!
Train derailments happening all suddenlike while China ramps up spying. Sabotage as a prelude to war perhaps. I’d advise all my clients to invest in canned food and shot gun shells.
Train derailments take place more frequently than you may imagine. You are just hearing about these because of the scale.
This Biden nose picker is as useless as is his boss, he was worthless mayor and has proven to be an even more worthless DOT sec and now the stupid dingbat thinks he can be voted into the WH….
What has Pete B. done of any significance as Transportation Sec’y that justifies the pay he receives from we the taxpayers.
Pothole Pete will just laugh this off like everything else. Fire the failure.
this is SERIOUS STUFF , people are going to die , long term effects
SOME ONE DO SOMETHING
So the planes can’t run on time, the trains can’t stay on the rails, and cars can’t stay on the road.. Gee, thanks, Mayor Pete!
Biden can certainly pick winners, can’t he? NOT!
Even if this little twerp steps down NOW, he’s still only 41 years old. He’s young. How many election cycles will involve him? He’s like AOC; her stench won’t go away for at least another 30+ years.