Buttigieg vacationed in Europe as rail strike loomed

By 
 December 15, 2022

President Joe Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was on vacation in Europe as rail workers nearly launched a strike that would have crippled the nation.

Buttigieg reportedly left for Europe on Aug. 28 and returned on Labor Day, Sept. 5, just one week ahead of a planned strike.

The problem

"While Buttigieg was on vacation, he uploaded a video of himself to Twitter speaking from a U.S. airport on September 1, giving the appearance as if he were traveling within the United States. 'If you’re traveling this weekend or anytime, know that our department has your back,' Buttigieg said in the video," according to Breitbart News.

"If rail workers went on strike, it would have cost the U.S. economy more than $2 billion per day, according to an Association of American Railroads report," it added.

Pete's flights

"It was reported earlier this week that Buttigieg took at least 18 flights on taxpayer-funded private jets since joining the Cabinet, despite leading calls to cut CO2 emissions," Daily Mail reported.

"Buttigieg was reportedly vacationing in Porto, Portugal, a popular tourist destination on the European country's coast," it added.

"Buttigieg has traveled across the country — visiting Florida, Ohio and New Hampshire, among other states — and out of the country using a private jet fleet managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)," Fox News said.

He's not the first

"Buttigieg's predecessor, Elaine Chao, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, faced criticism for using the same jets on seven occasions in 2017, costing taxpayers nearly $94,000," it added.

Chao ultimately resigned from the position after the House Oversight and Reform Committee launched an investigation over the flights.

The news is also frustrating for millions of Americans who have endured hardship while seeking to travel on commercial flights that have been increasingly delayed or canceled during the Biden administration, with Buttigieg leading the agency responsible for improving transportation.

The latest information is not a good look for the former "Mayor Pete" who sought the Democratic presidential nomination prior to ultimately stepping down before taking his current position. Buttigieg will need to do some serious damage repair if he plans to remain in his role for long.

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