Pete Buttigieg, President Biden’s Transportation Secretary, was on paid vacation in Europe in September during heated rail labor talks that nearly culminated in a strike, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
Buttigieg went for his European vacation on Aug. 29 and returned 7 days later on Labor Day, Sept. 5. However, Buttigieg’s trip came only one week before Amtrak “began suspending all long-distance trains in preparation of a possibly catastrophic rail strike,” according to the Free Beacon.
While on vacation, Buttigieg posted a video of himself on Twitter speaking from a U.S. airport on Sept. 1, creating the impression that he was traveling within the U.S. “If you are traveling this weekend, or anytime soon,” Buttigieg stated in the video.
According to an Association of American Railroads report, a rail workers strike would have lost the U.S. economy over $2 billion each day.
The failure of Biden’s White House and Buttigieg to win numerous paid sick leave days for train workers eventually offended multiple rail worker unions.
During the high-stakes discussions, the Department of Transportation justified Buttigieg’s travel, stating that his week-long vacation “was planned a while ago.”
Buttigieg “remained engaged and available” from Porto, Portugal, a town noted for its wine production, according to a Transportation Department spokesperson.
“As usual, he remained available and engaged on pressing topics while traveling on personal time, which in this case meant many contacts with stakeholders and staff to work on the topic of rail labor talks,” the spokesperson said.
“Overall, the secretary’s action in preventing a train closure involved hundreds of meetings and calls between April and Dec.,” the spokesperson stated.
However, news of Buttigieg’s European trip sparked outrage among his detractors. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), for example, labeled Buttigieg’s plan to go to Portugal “a joke,” according to the Free Beacon.
“Pete Buttigieg would take paid vacation to travel to Europe for days at a time, but he believes rail workers should only get one day of sick leave,” said Hawley. “This is the same individual who took months of paid leave during the supply chain problem. The country would implode if rail workers were to show up for the job as infrequently as Buttigieg.”
Y’all act like what he does or doesnt do actually matters! He’s being paid (well) by us because of what he IS, not what he does!!
He is a joke as are most of Brandon’s cabinet members. If we had honest journalism we would know who is actually running this country because it sure isn’t that befuddled old man.
I wonder if the Chinese or Russians or a combination of both are running the Democrat Party. Everything the Biden Administration and the rest of the Democrat Party are doing is destroying our Nation. Isn’t it obvious too everyone?
I agree! That’s why we have incompetent tokens running the entire cabinet and press! The Cuban running Homeland security is welcoming the illegal aliens with money and housing! He should not be allowed in our country, much less doing all
he can to destroy our country!
Remember this America, the BIDEN and Democrat Party plan is too decimate the USA until it is, No More! It should be obvious too anyone that has an ounce of sanity. Bidens entire Administration is a joke. Is anyone paying attention.