'What Does This Guy Gotta Do to Get Fired?' Cruz Rips Buttigieg For Ohio Train Wreck Response
© AP Photo / Matt Freed
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House Republicans have introduced a resolution urging US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to resign for “neglecting” his duties in the wake of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The resolution stated that Buttigieg's "ineptitude has jeopardized the safety and prosperity of the American people."
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg got another dose of vehement criticism from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for his handling of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
"Pete Buttigieg — what the hell does this guy gotta do to get fired? At this point, it’s a bar game... like, what else could he do?" Cruz queried at the annual Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference on March 2.
According to Cruz, Buttigieg’s tardy response to the environmental disaster that ensued from the train wreck is a glaring sign that no one in the Biden administration wants to help residents of predominantly conservative districts. Pete Buttigieg finally visited East Palestine on February 23, with fuming local residents slamming it as "too little, too late."
"The Democrats don’t give a damn about East Palestine, because it’s a blue-collar, red place, and they’re like, 'To hell with you. If you were a bunch of transgender tech workers, you’d have the entire Biden cabinet down there for a listening session and sit-in to feel their pain," Cruz told the CPAC crowd.
President Joe Biden also got his share of condemnation from Ted Cruz for being "completely AWOL" regarding the Ohio derailment. Meanwhile, Cruz applauded former President Donald Trump for going to the scene of the disaster. Trump, who arrived in East Palestine on February 22, blasted the Biden administration for its “indifference and betrayal” as the US President had traipsed off to Ukraine to meet with the Kiev regime instead.
Ted Cruz also lauded Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, who had taken videos showing toxic chemicals had spilled into waterways in the vicinity of the incident.
"But JD, alongside Donald Trump, came there and guilted the administration, and that was powerful as hell," Cruz said.
23 February 2023, 01:02 GMT
Earlier, House Republicans introduced a resolution slamming US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for “neglecting” his duties, and urging him to resign. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and supported by several of his GOP colleagues, such as Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Ryan Zinke of Montana, Mike Collins of Georgia, and Greg Steube of Florida. It condemns Buttigieg for having "failed to mitigate or effectively respond to multiple national crises," adding that his "ineptitude has jeopardized the safety and prosperity of the American people."
The Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3. About 20 of the roughly 150 train cars were carrying hazardous materials, including highly flammable vinyl chloride. The derailment was likely caused by an overheated wheel bearing on a railcar, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report. The incident resulted in evacuation orders for residents amid the toxic chemical scare, and a federal investigation into the causes of the accident.
The derailment also led to a "controlled release" of toxins into the air in order to avoid what officials claim could have been a catastrophic blast. However, since then locals have been fearing possible health effects after witnessing the deaths of animals and local wildlife.
