Thursday Afternoon Update: Buttigieg Blunders In East Palestine, Tennessee Passes Bill Banning Sex-Change Surgeries On Minors, New Charges Against Crypto-Creep

This article is a companion piece of today’s Morning Wire Afternoon News Update. Click to listen to the podcast version. Here.

Buttigieg Blunders In East Palestine

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Been there. The incident occurred 20 days after the Norfolk Southern toxic train crash that erupted in East Palestine, Ohio. Buttigieg has been criticized for not responding sooner to the incident, and for lack of transparency with the media. Here is his defense of his response.

“Was it a mistake not to come here sooner?”

BUTTIGIEG: “What I tried to do was balance two things: my desire to be involved and engaged and on the ground, which is how I’m generally wired to act, and my desire to follow the norm.” 🤔 pic.twitter.com/KA0NPi72Oy

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 23, 2023

National Transportation Safety Board releases preliminary Norfolk Southern Report

In the meantime, National Transportation Safety Board Thursday’s preliminary report states that the catastrophic train derailment was caused in part by an overheated bearing on the 23rd of the 149 rail cars.

Tennessee passes a bill banning sex-change surgery on minors

A bill to ban sex-change procedures The Tennessee legislation on minors was passed today in the Tennessee State House and is now headed for the desk of Republican Governor Bill Lee. If the bill is signed, it will ban procedures like mastectomies for minor girls who state they are boys. It will also make it illegal to give cross-sex hormones to children and block their puberty.

Matt Walsh, Daily Wire host is often credited with raising awareness about the issue.

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New charges against Crypto-Creep

Ex-CEO of FTX Sam Bankman Fried He was also charged with four other charges in relation to his allegedly fraudulent crypto empire. The former crypto-king is now facing four additional charges related to his allegedly fraudulent cryptocurrency empire. These charges are in addition to eight previously pleaded guilty to by SBF.

The Great British Salad Shortage continues

Thursday’s announcement by the British government indicated that their subjects may face shortages in salad staples like tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers for at least a month. Industry experts blame disruptions in supply chain logistics in northern Africa, and southern Europe for the decline of greenhouse growth.

Murdaugh Trial Update

Alex Murdaugh from South Carolina took the stand for trial on Thursday. He was charged with double murder of his husband and son. Murdaugh claimed that he did not kill his family but admitted to lying about the time he last saw them alive. The 54-year-old Murdaugh could be sentenced to 30 years to life imprisonment if convicted.

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