This week, former Hawaii congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard announced that she would visit East Palestine, Ohio to see firsthand the aftermath of the train derailment that devastated the community.
“Flew in tonight, headed to East Palestine. Came to see firsthand what [Joe] Biden & [Pete] Buttigieg refuse to,” Gabbard wrote on Twitter, pointing out that Biden promised more funding for Ukraine and not for Ohio.
Flew in tonight, headed to East Palestine. Came to see firsthand what Biden & Buttigieg refuse to. Biden has time & another $500M of our $$$ for Zelensky, but no time or money for people here who are still getting sick days after the water & air were supposedly declared “clear.”
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) February 22, 2023
In an video posted on Gabbard’s Instagram story, she showed how the railroad tracks are roughly 50 yards from people’s homes.
“When you think about the danger of what we just saw with the catastrophe – this toxic catastrophe – here in East Palestine because of this train derailment, and, we understand that there are now estimated 1,700 train derailments across the country…” Gabbard explained. She later said that she can still “smell” the derailment that occurred this month.
So @TulsiGabbard took the time to visit #EastPalestineOhio, before Buttigieg, Biden, Harris, Sanders, AOC, DeSantis, Haley or even Trump.
— Anomalocaris007🌺 (@anomalocaris007) February 22, 2023
How long are we going to let our political elite have the power instead of a real leader, like Tulsi?#EastPalestineDisaster #EastPalestine pic.twitter.com/3v018CgNmq
“Even if people are okay right now, we have no idea what the long-term effects are going to be,” Gabbard said as she drove around the community. President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have yet to visit East Palestine.
“It’s understandable that people are still so concerned, especially being told there’s nothing to worry about.” Gabbard said.
This month, Gabbard slammed the Biden administration for refusing to visit East Palestine after the train derailment.
“They’re there and they’re not paying attention to them because they don’t care. They see themselves as masters and they see the rest of us as adversaries and subjects. The American people are basically an afterthought,” she said. “More and more people are suffering, begging for help and still those in power showing they really don’t care. They care more about themselves.”
Tulsi Gabbard on the absence of those in power following the toxic chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio:
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 16, 2023
"They're not there, and they're not paying attention to them because they don't care." pic.twitter.com/YdYPW3bBs3