On Tuesday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on an amendment that would cut the salary of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to just $1. This move is allowed under the House procedure called the Holman rule, and was adopted by voice vote as part of the 2024 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill.
For it to be included in the final budget, however, the Democrat-controlled Senate will need to approve it.
The amendment was introduced by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia who attempted to explain her reasoning in a video posted online. Greene accused Buttigieg of having his priorities wrong when he declared some roads were built on racism and that every transportation decision is inherently linked with equity.
She also cited an incident where Buttigieg was caught unloading a bicycle from an SUV before riding it as if he had ridden there himself. She argued this showed how he was trying to deceive people into thinking he rode his bike to work often when that wasn’t true.
???? BREAKING: I’m proud to announce my amendment to FIRE Pete Buttigieg just PASSED the House.
Pothole Pete staged fake bike rides to the White House and used private planes funded by taxpayers to receive awards for the way certain people have sex.
American taxpayers should not… pic.twitter.com/9fq9XrXLV2
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene???????? (@RepMTG) November 7, 2023
Greene further criticized Buttigieg for not responding quickly enough during emergencies such as when a train derailed in East Palestine earlier this year which led to toxic substances being released into the environment. She also pointed out that “Pete” had been nicknamed “Pothole Pete” due to his failure at fixing potholes while serving as mayor previously.
Finally she said how hypocritical it was for him to take taxpayer-funded private jets while receiving LGBTQ awards but yet fails Americans living in rural areas who rely on dirt roads daily.
Americans for Public Trust Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland agreed with Greene’s sentiments saying that Secretary Buttigieg continues “to blow off the American people, who simply want to know the true cost of his taxpayer-funded private jet trips” which still have not been released yet despite multiple requests for information about them from members of congress and taxpayers alike.
Sutherland went on further accusing him of politicizing his role and showing a dismissive attitude towards questions about accountability and transparency common throughout Biden’s administration.
