Conservative Influencer Benny Johnson Donates $20k to East Palestine Residents

In a Video YouTuber Benny Johnson, a conservative commentator, visited East Palestine on Sunday. He gave $1,000 to each resident who lives closest to the train accident earlier this month.

“Welcome to East Palestine, Ohio. It’s a sweet, patriotic community, 5,000 people live here. They have homes here. Their children go to school here. There’s playgrounds, businesses, restaurants, and there’s also train tracks that run through the center of town. And on that train track there was a massive derailment a couple days ago,” Johnson began.

“Chemicals spilled into the air and into the water and into the soil. These people have to live with that now forever. Worse yet, the government came along and then lit it all on fire, sending a black, toxic plume of smoke directly into the atmosphere, and then they told everyone to go back into their homes, everything’s safe. But there’s been no reassurances,” Johnson continued. 

Johnson stated that the railroad responsible for derailment was Norfolk Southern. Johnson said that the Norfolk Southern has only given $5 to residents since the incident.

“We think that’s wrong, and so we’re here today, we’ve identified the 20 homes closest to that toxic burn, and we’re gonna walk up to those homes and we’re gonna hand them $1,000. And we’re gonna say we’re sorry this happened to you, we don’t need the government to come in and save us or help us out, we the American people can help each other out,” Johnson stated.

Johnson stated that the act began with five homes near the train wreckage. Johnson said that they could see the burned remains of it in their back yards.

One man is named “Smiley” Johnson, who lives alone in one of these houses said that no one has offered help. “They’re all hiding,” He said.

Smiley has been helping people in his community, saying “if” “they need something, if I have the ability to give it to them, I do.”

Smiley stated that the money would “help out a lot.”

Johnson spoke to a younger man who explained that he was busy moving out and didn’t have the time to talk. He was grateful when he was handed the cash envelope and said that the money would cover his first month’s rent in a new location far from the train wreckage.

Another woman said that her life was a struggle. “has been turned upside down” Due to the train accident, she spent almost $150 on cleaning supplies.

“But I’m more concerned about the elderly in the area, the disabled, they can’t clean their house top to bottom.”

As many others, she was also extremely grateful to have the money.

“God bless you guys for helping people,” Johnson was told by another woman.

Johnson was told by a woman that the train crash and its aftermath had been weighing heavily on her mind. Johnson also noted that she has had a cough since then.

“You’re angels,” She said.

Some residents were hesitant to accept the money. They asked if there were conditions to accepting it. Other residents said they didn’t need it and that they would pass it on to anyone who needs it more.

“Honestly, in the last 10 days it’s been hard to trust folks,” One man said.

“I will pay this forward, absolutely. There’s a lot of people that need, like, diapers and water and stuff,” One woman spoke up.

“There’s someone else that needs it more than me,” One man tried to return the money, but he was unsuccessful. 

“How about you pay it forward, ’cause you know this community more than I do,” Johnson said this, and he handed the envelope back.

“The power of helping out your fellow Americans, man, it’s beautiful… People are crying, people are hugging us, and it feels good.” Johnson stated at the end of his video that East Palestine residents received money from the ads generated by his videos.

Johnson’s trip to East Palestine is part of the Biden administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied aid to Ohio, stating that the state is “not eligible for assistance at this time.”

The Biden administration supported the decision of its agency late last week. A Biden official stated that they are “mobilizing a robust, multi-agency effort to support the people of East Palestine, Ohio,” And that  “FEMA is coordinating with the emergency operations center working closely with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.”

However, “what East Palestine “FEMA can’t provide everything that our needs require,” said the official. “FEMA is on the frontlines when there is a hurricane or tornado. This situation is different.”

A Norfolk Southern train carrying chemicals such as vinyl chloride was derailled in East Palestine on February 3rd. The Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ruled that burning it off would be the best option to avoid an explosion resulting from unstable chemicals. Officials could be seen miles away in a plume of smoke.

Residents reported experiencing health problems, chemical odors in the air, and dead fish or animals after they returned home. DeWine Sulphur Run has been declared since then “severely contaminated.” Residents are encouraged to continue to monitor water supplies and to consume bottled water.