Joy Behar, co-host of “The View,” recently faced backlash after suggesting that the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, got what they deserved with the recent train derailment due to their support for former President Donald Trump.
Her comments were made in response to co-host Alyssa Farah-Griffin’s criticism of President Biden for not visiting the Ohio community affected by the disaster.
While Farah-Griffin expressed her belief that Biden is a president for all Americans, she also noted that this is Trump country, and he won by a significant margin in the area.
Behar’s comments did not sit well with Jennifer Homendy, the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who criticized Behar’s claims that Trump and his supporters are to blame for the disaster.
Homendy stated that the wheel bearing on one of the train’s cars failed, causing the derailment, and that the brake rule that Behar blamed Trump for repealing would not have prevented the incident. Homendy also condemned those who politicize tragedies like this and called for addressing the needs and concerns of the affected community.
However, Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation, falsely blamed Trump for the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and his claim drew criticism from a Biden official who called out Buttigieg for spreading misinformation.
Buttigieg claimed that a braking rule was removed during the Trump administration, constraining him from taking action to prevent the incident. Homendy refuted this claim, noting that Buttigieg was misleading the public about the cause of the train disaster.
The ECP braking rule that Buttigieg referred to would only apply to high hazard flammable trains, and the train that derailed in East Palestine was a mixed freight train containing only three placarded Class 3 flammable liquids cars. Therefore, even if the rule had been in effect, it would not have prevented the derailment.
Homendy emphasized the importance of not speculating about the cause of the disaster or spreading false information that would mislead the affected community. The focus should be on addressing their needs and concerns and working to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
In summary, the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has sparked controversy and accusations from various individuals, including Joy Behar and Pete Buttigieg.
However, the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, has emphasized the importance of avoiding political agendas and misinformation and focusing on addressing the needs of the affected community. As we move forward, we must prioritize safety and take actions that prevent future incidents from happening.
