Pete Buttigieg Spreads ‘Misinformation,’ Lies While Attempting to Shift Blame to Trump For East Palestine Disaster

Biden’s Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, attempted to shift the blame for the train derailment disaster in East Palestine to President Donald Trump’s administration this week. Breitbart reported that he claimed that all this would have been prevented by certain rail regulation laws like a breaking rule that was withdrawn by Trump administration that would have required installing electronically pumped pneumatic (ECP) brakes for trains carrying certain dangerous chemicals.

This claim was lambasted by another Biden administration member, the Chair of National Transportation Safety Board, as “misinformation” and as “FALSE.”

The Chair explained that, “The ECP braking rule would’ve applied ONLY to HIGH HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAINS. The train that derailed in East Palestine was a MIXED FREIGHT TRAIN containing only 3 placarded Class 3 flammable liquids. This means that even if the rule had gone into effect, this train wouldn’t have had ECP brakes.”

The ECP braking rule would’ve applied ONLY to HIGH HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAINS. The train that derailed in East Palestine was a MIXED FREIGHT TRAIN containing only 3 placarded Class 3 flammable liquids cars. pic.twitter.com/ReAFDSdsn7

— Jennifer Homendy (@JenniferHomendy) February 17, 2023

Breitbart further corroborated the chair’s statement by being informed by Norfolk Southern that the train that derailed was not classified as a high-hazard flammable train.

Buttigieg’s playing politics at such a time is highly inappropriate given the concerns raised by residents of East Palestine. The aftereffects of the derailment of a train operated by Norfolk Southern and its spillage of dangerous chemical that was ignited into the air on February 3rd is still ongoing.  A crisis of trust has been exhibited by the denizens of that rural village toward the EPA’s pronouncement that it is safe to return home and drink tap water.

WATCH: YET ANOTHER TRAIN DERAILS WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON BOARD IN DETROIT AS LAWMAKERS BLAST BUTTIGIEG FOR EAST PALESTINE, OHIO TRAGEDY

Many in the area have highlighted that the chemicals are still present in local waters as their reason to be skeptical. Videos of local waters taking on a chemical sheen have been uploaded to Twitter by Nick Sortor, a video journalist, and Ohio’s new Republican Senator J.D. Vance.

Even MORE proof that the EPA is LYING to the people of East Palestine.

THIS WATER IS INSANELY CONTAMINATED. pic.twitter.com/rNlNxxBTDd

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 16, 2023

Senator Vance appeared in a video where he demonstrated that a local waterway was polluted. He labeled what he observed “disgusting” and called for “Norfolk Southern to finish the cleanup.”

Visited a local creek in East Palestine today. These waterways are still very polluted. It’s time for Norfolk Southern to finish the cleanup. Check this video out: pic.twitter.com/4lsHBmrMJj

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 16, 2023

Senator Vance voiced the frustration of many in the village when he said “I think that if the EPA administrator wants to stand here and tell people that the tap water is safe, by all means, they should be willing to drink it.”

Senator @JDVance1 in East Palestine, Ohio: "If the EPA administrator wants to stand here and tell people that the tap water is safe, by all means, they should be willing to drink it." pic.twitter.com/Q9GQCEnncz

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 16, 2023

The Republican senator wasn’t the only one to be skeptical of the drinking water. Nick Sortor reported that when Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) toured the area with an EPA administrator and was asked whether he would drink the water. Senator Brown replied that, “I can’t answer that.”

Question for Senator Brown (D-OH) after he toured the East Palestine crash site with the EPA Admin:

“If you lived here, would you feel safe in the water, or even drinking the water?”

Brown said “I can’t answer that.”

Hmm… pic.twitter.com/GJ747fFxFt

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 16, 2023

Sortor also reported that when Biden’s EPA administrator visited the village 13 days after the disaster, he was offered a glass of tap water which he declined to take.

After 13 days, Biden’s EPA admin FINALLY showed up in East Palestine.

I thought he’d need something to drink after walking so much, so I generously offered him a glass of tap water.

He declined. pic.twitter.com/qBRUXE5rX3

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 16, 2023

The tragedy  in the small rural town of East Palestine has resounded throughout the nation. What is not needed now is mendacious shifting of the blame for this tragedy and that kind of politicking as practiced by Pete Buttigieg.  Misleading and false statements here will only fan the flames of division and distrust. We pray that the continued tragedy and trauma of the residents of East Palestine soon ends and that safety and public trust are restored.