U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg fired back at Sen. Marco Rubio after the Florida Republican attacked him over the government response to the Ohio train derailment in East Palestine.
“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,” he wrote. “Now: will you vote to help us toughen rail safety accountability and fines, or not?”
Buttigieg’s comments came after Rubio attacked him as being M.I.A. (missing in action), called him “incompetent,” and demanded his firing.
“First @SecretaryPete was m.i.a. on the derailment,” Rubio tweeted. “Then he lies to media claiming my 2021 letter calling for more track inspections was a letter calling for deregulation.”
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“He is an incompetent who is focused solely on his fantasies about his political future & needs to be fired,” Rubio added.
Buttigieg replied by pointing out the lawmaker had voted to soften safety regulations prior to the Ohio train derailment in East Palestine.
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
