Last week, due to the recent failures of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the train derailments in South Carolina, Texas, and most notably in East Palestine, Ohio, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) publicly pushed for the resignation of the Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
In order to do so, Sen. Rubio sent a letter to President Joe Biden (D) urging the Commander-in-Chief to request that Secretary Buttigieg step down from his post.
However, that hasn’t stopped Secretary Buttigieg and Sen. Rubio from sparring on the internet.
“First @SecretaryPete was m.i.a. on the derailment. Then he lies to media claiming my 2021 letter calling for more track inspections was a letter calling for deregulation. He is an incompetent who is focused solely on his fantasies about his political future & needs to be fired,” stated Rubio.
During the rail strike a few months prior, Sen. Rubio was on the side of the workers, making statements and writing letters opining for a deal to be structured on their behalf.
Moreover, after hearing calls for his firing all weekend, Buttigieg responded, alleging that Rubio’s letters were “obviously drafted by railroad industry lobbyists.”
“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?” said Buttigieg.
However, Rubio did not retract his initial plea for Buttigieg’s resignation.
“Before you emerged from hiding 10 days after the worst rail accident in over a decade the last time we heard you talking about rail was when you were lobbying for the rail company ‘deal’ that screwed workers out of paid leave while I was fighting for workers. Please resign now,” said Rubio.
This is a developing story.
