Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is under a rain of criticism over the Ohio train derailment catastrophe that is killing wildlife and releasing plumes of toxic chemicals. And some of it is coming from within his Democratic Party.
When fellow leftist radical Rep. Ilhan Omar goes after one of her own, you know there’s trouble afoot.
Local residents and national observers alike are questioning the role of Buttigieg’s Transportation Department and what seems like an obvious case of misplaced priorities. The train derailment on Feb. 3 caused panic in East Palestine, Ohio, and forced thousands of residents to leave.
They have been allowed to return, but authorities still urge locals with private wells to consume only bottled water for fear of contamination.
Thousands of birds and fish are reportedly dying, and people in nearby communities are said to be getting sick. Now both sides of the political aisle are asking where the infrastructure funds went and how the former presidential candidate is stepping up to handle the crisis.
Even Omar got into the act. The representative tweeted that the country needs a congressional inquiry and “direct action from Pete Buttigieg to address this tragedy.”
Rep. Biggs to NEWSMAX: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg 'disinterested' in helping Ohio after train wreck. https://t.co/MRp06bH19v pic.twitter.com/1rJqyswBaS
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 15, 2023
She also called out the potential long-term effects of the derailment on the area, noting that they could go on for decades. Omar then questioned the lack of national media attention.
Buttigieg, who found time recently to rail against “racial disparities” in construction, has yet to put boots on the ground in East Palestine. “Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade wondered if the secretary’s absence is related to Ohio being a red state.
Approximately 50 rail cars derailed on Feb. 3, and many of them were carrying vinyl chloride. The ensuing flames engulfed the town with plumes of thick black smoke as emergency workers executed a controlled release at the site.
Video surfaced from roughly 20 miles outside of East Palestine showing one of the rail car’s axles on fire. Many wonder if there was negligence on the part of the railway and if the disaster may have been averted.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told Fox News Monday that he’s aware of “alarming anecdotes about contaminated waterways and effects on wildlife. He called for long-term study to properly determine the lasting harm created by the derailment.
Buttigieg is a one-time presidential candidate who is hardly subtle in his aspirations for a future in the Oval Office. However, the consistent bungling of major issues by the Department of Transportation is hardly a moving testimony to his leadership skills.
