Well, it only took him three whole weeks, but Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has finally arrived in East Palestine, Ohio, after realizing that other people could actually notice that he hadn’t gone there yet and had only very recently even acknowledged that there’d been a toxic train derailment. Good for Pete! Way to step up to the plate!
If you can believe it, though, Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, for one, hasn’t been impressed by Buttigieg’s actions in the wake of the disaster. He hasn’t been impressed with Buttigieg’s words, either, and he told him so in a tweet earlier this week:
First @SecretaryPete was m.i.a. on the derailment
Then he lies to media claiming my 2021 letter calling for more track inspections was a letter calling for deregulation
He is an incompetent who is focused solely on his fantasies about his political future & needs to be fired
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 21, 2023
Let’s address the first point: Rubio is exactly right. He’s exactly right on his third point, too. But what about the second?
Well, let’s give Buttigieg himself the first crack at it:
The facts don't lie. The 2021 letter you signed was obviously drafted by railroad industry lobbyists.
It supports waivers that would reduce visual track inspections.
Now: will you vote to help us toughen rail safety accountability and fines, or not? https://t.co/o5MGvbEZbA
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 21, 2023
Here are some examples of what Congress can do to help (along with immediate steps we've been taking and what we demand rail companies do). If you're serious, I'll work with you on this. https://t.co/cihnMCBUJq
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 21, 2023
“If you’re serious.” Well, Pete, Sen. Rubio is very serious. You, on the other hand ….
It's easier for Pete to point fingers than actually do his job…
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) February 22, 2023
True story. Take a look at this thread from Twitchy fixture @AGHamilton29:
Friend points out the sleight of hand here. Notice Pete intentionally changes it to “visual inspections” because the letter called for more automated inspections, which pick up things that can’t be seen & thus improve safety.
But Pete’s union buddies didn’t like that idea. https://t.co/JkbVNt59o1
— AG (@AGHamilton29) February 23, 2023
Here is the letter in question. Notice they were advocating for a solution that has proven to produce a “superior safety outcome”.
Pete B. trying to deflect blame by framing this proposal as reducing safety is incredibly dishonest. https://t.co/OJAa31dT2u pic.twitter.com/sz2BiwH6B5
— AG (@AGHamilton29) February 23, 2023
To summarize: Pete B rejected an inspection proposal that would have improved safety outcomes to appease unions, then tried to deflect blame for the recent disaster by lying about that proposal and suggesting it would have had the opposite effect.
Of course it worked with some.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) February 23, 2023
It worked with those who choose to believe a woefully inept and unqualified mayor-turned-transportation-secretary would be honest with them about his failings. And that’s not saying much.
This is in addition to the media/Biden admin attempted deflection with the ECP brake rule spin, which I wrote about in this week's newsletter:https://t.co/94H95jil3W pic.twitter.com/SIbwBCw2JC
— AG (@AGHamilton29) February 23, 2023
Oh, you mean like this spin?
To be fair, that probably would have put a damper on things. https://t.co/fnM8TybQVK
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) February 22, 2023
Good dog, Vanity Fair. Get those belly rubs.
What Biden and Buttigieg are saying is that nothing will ever get better, because it is all Trump's fault, and they won't take any responsibility for it, no matter how long they are in office. https://t.co/rnW4iax4RH
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) February 23, 2023
And there you have it. As U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg has access to all this information and yet chooses to either pretend it doesn’t exists or lie about it in order to deflect blame onto Republicans.
Because for Pete Buttigieg, honesty is not the best policy. Neither is competence.
Ironic that Buttigieg claims to want visual inspections as he hasn’t been willing to go out there and SEE things for himself.
— Mike Breslin (@MikeBreslin815) February 23, 2023
Facts don't lie, but Pete does.
— Herr Dr. Samaritan, AB, AB, MA, JD, PhD ABD (@DgFontanella) February 23, 2023
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member