GOP House Oversight Committee launches an investigation into Buttigieg’s response
Almost three weeks after the toxic train derailment occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, President Biden ordered that “walk teams” of members of federal agencies go door-to-door to check on families in the area. Much like after a hurricane or other natural disaster, teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency will visit homes beginning today. Workers will ask residents how they are doing, assess their needs, and connect them with appropriate resources from government and non-profit organizations.
Biden ordered the federal employees to survey as many homes as possible by Monday. The immediate goal is to visit at least 400 homes. Will this latest action include a trip from Biden to the area to see for himself what his fellow Americans need? No. He’s in Delaware doing what he usually does on weekends – taking time off in one of his mansions. The White House says he has no plans to visit East Palestine.
DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg donned his best version of a Bob the Builder costume and toured the area the day after former President Trump visited the area. Trump brought pallets of water, food, and cleaning supplies for those who need them. Trump also bought lunch for first responders at the local fire station and the locals who were in McDonald’s when he stopped in. All we saw from Mayor Pete was him brushing off questions from the press about his slow response to the emergency. The timing of Pete’s visit was interesting – it was an early morning visit, one when residents would be heading to work or school and not available to go to see the DOT secretary. How convenient for a federal employee who doesn’t want to be held accountable.
It’s probably just a coincidence that as Joe Biden was issuing his order of door-to-door visits in East Palestine by federal agency employees, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and committee Republicans opened an investigation into Buttigieg’s response to the train derailment in East Palestine.
