Lawmakers investigate Buttigieg for ‘apathy’ in the face of East Palestine train disaster

House Oversight Committee lawmakers launched an investigation into Department of Transportation Secretary Pette Buttigieg complete his "apathy" successful nan look of nan vulnerable train derailment successful East Palestine, Ohio, aft nan caput waited 20 days to sojourn nan tract aft nan first wreck.

About 50 obstruction cars operated by Norfolk Southern, including 10 carrying toxic chemicals, derailed connected nan evening of Feb. 3 successful East Palestine, a mini municipality connected nan Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Officials conducted a controlled merchandise of vinyl chloride from immoderate of nan cars 3 days later to debar an explosion, sending hydrogen chloride and phosgene into nan air.

Buttigieg came nether fire from section residents and lawmakers for waiting complete a afloat week to publically admit nan incident.

In a missive to Buttigieg Friday, nan House Republicans demanded documents and accusation related to nan department's consequence to nan disaster.

OHIO RESIDENTS ERUPT AT TOWN HALL: 'WHERE'S PETE BUTTIGIEG?'

White House officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, center, are calling for higher fines for railroad information violations pursuing their sojourn to nan Norfolk Southern clang tract successful East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

"The Committee connected Oversight and Accountability is investigating nan ongoing situation that began connected February 3, 2023, successful East Palestine, Ohio," nan missive states. "A Norfolk Southern freight train’s derailment and nan ensuing consequence released highly toxic chemic materials into nan air, water, and ungraded — forcing residents of East Palestine to evacuate. This incident is an biology and nationalist wellness emergency that now threatens Americans crossed authorities lines."

BUTTIGIEG VOWS TO ‘HOLD NORFOLK SOUTHERN ACCOUNTABLE’ AS CRITICISM MOUNTS OVER RESPONSE TO TRAIN DERAILMENT

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, right, admits during a property convention that he waited excessively agelong to make a nationalist connection connected nan Norfolk Southern train derailment successful East Palestine, Ohio connected Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.   (WKBN)

"Despite nan U.S. Department of Transportation’s work to guarantee safe and reliable carrier successful nan United States, you ignored nan catastrophe for complete a week. The American group merit answers arsenic to what caused nan derailment, and DOT needs to supply an mentation for its leadership’s ignorant successful nan look of this emergency," they wrote.

During his first sojourn to nan tract of the Norfolk Southern train derailment Thursday, Buttigieg admitted that he waited excessively agelong to reside nan accident.

PETE BUTTIGIEG FACES CALL TO RESIGN AFTER EAST PALESTINE DISASTER: ‘SERIOUS AND PERSISTENT PROBLEMS’

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during a news convention adjacent nan tract of nan Norfolk Southern train derailment successful East Palestine, Ohio, connected Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. (Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"The reply to your mobility is yes," Buttigieg said, acknowledging that letting a week and a half spell by earlier tweeting astir nan train derailment was excessively long. He told reporters he had tried to "balance" his desire to get progressive pinch nan "norm of proscription secretaries" — which is to licence nan due regulatory authorities to activity without his interference.

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Buttigieg has besides vowed to "hold Norfolk Southern accountable" successful a missive sent to nan company's CEO Alan Shaw.