East Palestine not forgotten: Vance confirms Trump admin will study fallout of nightmarish train disaster
Vice President JD Vance visited East Palestine, Ohio, on the second anniversary of the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train disaster, which darkened the sky over the village with hazardous chemicals, poisoned the surrounding environment, and threatened the health of nearby residents.
"President Trump just wanted to deliver a message that this community will not be forgotten, will not be left behind, and we are in it for the long haul in East Palestine," Vance told locals in the village's firehouse.
Vance confirmed Thursday that the Trump administration is returning in search of answers and results.
Vance joined the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya Thursday in announcing a five-year, $10 million research initiative to "assess and address" the health fallout from the derailment.
According to HHS, this multi-disciplinary series of studies will seek to understand the health impacts of chemical exposures on short- and long-term health outcomes, "including relevant biological markers of risk"; monitor the community's health in order to take preventative measures and support their health care decisions; and connect community members with relevant experts and officials in order to properly address their health concerns.
'We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open.'
When the Norfolk Southern freight train consisting of 141 packed cars, nine empty cars, and three locomotives derailed in East Palestine in early 2023 due to a failed wheel bearing, 38 cars, 11 containing hazardous materials — including vinyl chloride, benzene residue, hydrogen chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene — went off the tracks.
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For fear that the fires engulfing the wreckage might trigger a "catastrophic tanker failure," railroad emergency crews conducted a vent and burn of five tanks of vinyl chloride, producing hydrogen chloride and phosgene gas — the latter of which was used to kill soldiers en masse in World War I.
The resulting columns of smoke that drifted over the village, which forced 2,000 residents to flee their homes, formed what the National Transportation Safety Board called a toxic "mushroom cloud."
After the controlled burn and amid reports of thousands of dead fish and dying livestock, hazardous materials specialist Silverio Caggiano told WKBN-TV, "We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open."
The NTSB indicated in a June 2024 report that the decision to execute the controlled burn "was based on incomplete and misleading information provided by Norfolk Southern officials and contractors. The vent and burn was not necessary to prevent a tank car failure."
Not only was the decision misguided; it was ruinous.
Thousands of local creatures were killed, nearby waters were heavily contaminated, and possibly cancer-causing airborne toxins were sent into the air across multiple states well beyond.
Blaze News previously reported that the Environmental Protection Agency's preliminary data in 2023 found that "concentrations for nine of the approximately 50 chemicals measured were relatively high in comparison to the levels considered safe for lifetime exposure."
"Overall, if ambient levels persisted for these chemicals, they could pose health concerns, either individually (e.g., acrolein, a known respiratory irritant) or cumulatively. Thus, subsequent, spatiotemporal analysis was pertinent," added the report.
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East Palestinians reported various health issues in the wake of the derailment, including headaches, gastrointestinal illness, and respiratory and skin irritations.
Owing to the nature of the chemicals and the duration of their exposure, many in East Palestine feared that there could also be long-term health impacts, especially on mothers and children.
The vice president said in a video shared to social media on Thursday that despite significant concerns from those in the area impacted by the derailment, the Biden administration "refused to do anything to actually study the effects of these long-term exposures on the people of East Palestine. Well, now we have a new president and a great new secretary of health and human services."
'Once again, this administration is showing the American people what true leadership looks like.'
"The people of East Palestine have a right to clear, science-backed answers about the impact on their health," said Kennedy.
— (@)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indicated that it will distribute the committed $10 million in tranches of $2 million a year over the next five years for one to three awards. Experts have until July 21 to submit research proposals in hopes of securing funding.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya teased the initiative last month, telling Fox News' host Bret Baier he was looking forward to addressing "the health questions and the health needs of the American people with excellent, gold-standard research."
The initiative was celebrated by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Republican Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, and Republican Reps. Mike Rulli and Dave Joyce.
"This funding will enable the people of East Palestine to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that any potential for long-term health effects will be studied by the scientists at the National Institutes of Health," said DeWine. "I thank President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Kennedy for their commitment now and into the future."
"Once again, this administration is showing the American people what true leadership looks like — putting Americans first," said Rulli.
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$96B Pension Crisis Looming Over Ohio Teacher Retirement System Has National Implications, Reform Advocates Say
Reform advocates warn that debt spirals like that currently gripping the Illinois pension system will happen in Ohio and other states if they don't reform their investment strategies.'True or false?!' NFL player demands answers after priest is accused of viewing occult-themed porn on parish computer
NFL player Jake McQuaide stood up during a church service and demanded answers following accusations that a priest looked at pornography on a parish computer.
Local reports said a whistleblower came forward with troubling allegations about a laptop "located in the parish office operated by a priest."
A churchgoer from Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township, Ohio, told WKEF-TV that the whistleblower sent him and his wife "disturbing images" in March that came directly from the laptop.
'Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography?'
Thumbnails to "porn sites" and "links to virtual reality role-playing sites involving sexual assault, rape, and occult themes" were found on the laptop, according to parishioner Todd Zureick, who filed a formal complaint with the archdiocese in April.
The accusations prompted a visit to Our Lady of the Visitation from Jason Williams, chancellor of the Cincinnati Archdiocese. During Mass on Saturday, Williams read a letter from Archbishop Robert Casey regarding investigations into the claims.
"Several concerns have been brought to the attention of the archdiocese. These have been investigated, and no wrongdoing — either criminally or ecclesiastically — has been substantiated. … Consequently, like gossip, the spreading of rumors is sinful, and we should all work to overcome this tendency of our fallen human nature," the letter stated.
It was at that point that former Miami Dolphins player McQuaide spoke up, and the moment was captured on video during the church's livestream.
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"Please take a second. We want to put these rumors to rest. Can you answer this for me … fact or fiction?" McQuaide is heard saying on video.
"This is not the time for this," Williams appeared to reply from the alter.
"I'm sorry, sir, this is the time and the place. I will stand up,” McQuaide insisted. "Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography? … True or false?!"
Unsatisfied with the chancellor, and as other parishioners approached him, McQuaide persisted.
"You can look at pornography at your house, but you cannot do it here."
The football player claimed he had seen the images in question and felt it was indeed the time to raise the issue.
By this point, police who were already at the parish approached the two-time Pro Bowl player. One officer grabbed McQuaide by the wrist and took him down the aisle.
Blaze News reached out to Green Township Police to learn why they were there in the first place.
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"Officers were present at the service at the request of the church," Captain Mitch Hill told Blaze News.
Officers were there for "general security," Hill continued, adding that church operators were "concerned about disruptions."
Furthermore, WKEF reported that officers were hired by the church to handle disruptions that were "anticipated."
Regarding whether or not McQuaide was trespassed or barred from the property, Hill explained to Blaze News that the football player "was not charged with a crime" and the removal was "temporary and the church permitted him to return."
Allegations against the priest have not affected his standing in the church; the archdiocese said he is still "in good standing" with no investigations being conducted. According to the letter, the priest in question will soon go on a "previously planned sabbatical" beginning in July.
As for possible crimes, Green Township police told WCPO-TV that they were "not provided any complaints from parishioners."
Captain Hill added that "absent an aggravating factor," viewing pornography in and of itself would not be considered illegal, nor would it be cause for a criminal investigation.
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati told WKEF the priest "did not use a parish-owned computer to view pornography."
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.
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SCOTUS: No, Straight White People Don’t Have To Provide More Proof Of Discrimination Than Everyone Else
The Supreme Court unanimously decided that “majority groups” don’t have to provide more evidence than other groups to show discrimination. SCOTUS sent the case, Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, back to the lower courts on Thursday, ruling that the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals had improperly required Marlean Ames, the plaintiff, “to satisfy a […]Noncitizens and double voters: Ohio exposes potential election fraud in 8 states, DC
Election integrity has become a top concern among the American public, and Ohio is leading an effort to address those concerns and root out fraud.
On Tuesday, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) revealed that an ongoing review discovered potential voter fraud impacting eight states and Washington, D.C.
'Critics of Ohio’s election integrity efforts may try to minimize the significance of these referrals, as though some small amount of election crime is acceptable.'
“During an ongoing review of the Ohio Voter Registration Database using state and federal data, evidence of 30 noncitizen registrations were uncovered by Election Integrity Unit investigators. In addition, the review found 11 individuals from Virginia, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, and South Carolina who appear to have voted in multiple jurisdictions,” a press release from LaRose’s office read.
LaRose referred the findings of “potential fraudulent noncitizen registrations and fraudulent double votes” to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R), as well as the attorneys general of the seven other states and Washington, D.C.
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LaRose stated, “We must send a clear message that election fraud won’t be tolerated.”
“The only way to maintain Ohio’s high standard of election integrity is to enforce the law whenever it’s broken. Through the investigations of our Public Integrity Division’s Election Integrity Unit, we are rooting out lawbreakers so we can bring accountability and justice,” he added.
The attorneys general will determine whether to review the evidence further and ultimately decide whether to prosecute.
While LaRose can initiate investigations, he must refer his findings to the AG or local district attorneys for prosecution.
LaRose wrote in a letter to Yost, “Critics of Ohio’s election integrity efforts may try to minimize the significance of these referrals, as though some small amount of election crime is acceptable.”
“Even one illegal vote can spoil the outcome of an election for the citizenry at large, whether it be a school levy, majority control of a legislative chamber, or even a statewide election contest. Just this last election, a single vote in Licking County decided the outcome of a local levy after the final certified count,” he continued. “If we intend to give Ohioans absolute confidence in the integrity of our elections, we must have zero tolerance for misconduct.”
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The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office told Blaze News it had not yet received LaRose’s evidence. However, it noted, “We did get a phone call from them and expect them to forward the evidence.”
The Colorado Attorney General’s office stated it “cannot confirm or otherwise comment on investigations.”
The offices for the attorneys general of Ohio, Virginia, Arizona, D.C., Illinois, Kentucky, and Maryland did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
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Trump keeps endorsing the establishment he vowed to fight
Donald Trump’s endorsement of Karrin Taylor Robson in December marked one of the most baffling moves of his political career. Still riding the momentum of his victory, Trump pre-emptively backed a known RINO for Arizona governor — nearly 19 months ahead of the 2026 primary. The endorsement fit a troubling pattern: early-cycle support for anti-Trump Republicans who hadn’t lifted a finger for the movement, while stronger MAGA candidates waited in the wings.
If Trump wants to deliver on his campaign promises, he needs to reassert deterrence against weak-kneed incumbents and withhold endorsements in open races until candidates prove themselves.
At some point, conservatives must face the hard truth: The swamp isn’t being drained. It’s getting refilled — with Trump’s help.
Arizona illustrates why MAGA must push back hard on Trump’s errant picks. Robson, a classic McCain Republican, publicly criticized Trump as recently as 2022. She ran directly against MAGA favorite Kari Lake in the 2022 gubernatorial primary. Maybe she could merit a reluctant nod in a general election, but nearly two years before the primary? With far better options available?
And indeed, better options emerged. Months later, Rep. Andy Biggs — one of the most conservative voices in Congress and a staunch Trump ally — entered the race. The Arizona drama had a partially satisfying resolution when Trump issued a dual endorsement. But dig deeper, and the story turns sour.
Top Trump political aides reportedly worked for Robson’s campaign, raising serious questions for the MAGA base. Their loyalty seemed to shift only after Robson refused to tout Trump’s endorsement in her campaign ads.
Which brings us to the million-dollar question: Why would Trump endorse candidates so subversive that they feel embarrassed to even mention his support?
The Robson episode is an outlier in one way: Most establishment Republicans eagerly shout Trump’s endorsement from the rooftops. Yet the deeper issue remains. Without MAGA intervention, Trump keeps handing out endorsements to RINOs or to early candidates tied to his political network — often at the expense of better, more loyal alternatives.
A pattern of bad picks
Some defenders claim Trump backs incumbents to push his agenda. That theory falls apart when so many of those same RINOs openly sabotage it.
Take Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.). Both received Trump’s endorsement while actively working against his legislative priorities — pushing green energy subsidies and obsessing over tax breaks for their donor class. These aren’t minor policy differences. These are full-spectrum RINO betrayals.
Trump wouldn’t dare endorse Chip Roy (R-Texas) for dissenting from the right, so why give cover to Republicans who consistently undermine his mandate from the left?
And don’t chalk this up to political necessity in purple districts. Trump routinely gives away the farm in safe red states, too.
Here's a list of Trump’s Senate endorsements this cycle, straight from Ballotpedia — and it’s not comforting.
You’d struggle to find a single conservative in this bunch. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, and Jim Risch of Idaho all represent the globalist mindset that Trump’s base has spent years fighting. So why did Trump hand them early endorsements — before they even faced a challenge? What exactly is he getting in return?
Well, we know what his loyalty bought last cycle.
After Trump endorsed Mississippi’s other swamp creature, Roger Wicker, against a MAGA primary challenger in 2024, Wicker walked into the chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee — and now he’s stalling cuts to USAID. That roadblock has helped keep the DOGE rescissions package from reaching the president’s desk.
Wicker isn’t the only one. Several of Trump’s endorsees have publicly criticized his tariff agenda. Whether or not you agree with those tariffs, the pattern is telling. Trump only seems to call out Republicans who dissent from the right. Meanwhile, the ones who oppose him from the left collect endorsements that wipe out any hope of a MAGA primary.
Ten years into the MAGA movement, grassroots candidates still can’t gain traction — and Trump’s endorsements are a big part of the problem.
Instead of amplifying insurgent conservatives, Trump often plays air support for entrenched incumbents. He clears the field early, blasting apart any challenge before it forms. That’s how we ended up stuck with senators like Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.) — both from red states — who routinely block Trump’s nominees and undermine his priorities.
Trump endorsed both Tillis and Cassidy during the 2020 cycle, even as grassroots conservatives geared up to take them on. In fact, almost every red-state RINO in the Senate has received a Trump primary endorsement — some of them twice in just 10 years. That list includes Moore Capito, Graham, Hyde-Smith, and Wicker.
Saving red-state RINOs
What’s worse than endorsing RINOs for Congress in red states? Endorsing RINOs for governor and state legislature.
Yes, Washington is broken. Even in the best years, Republicans struggle to muster anything more than a narrow RINO majority. But the real opportunity lies elsewhere. More than 20 states already lean Republican enough to build permanent conservative power — if we nominate actual conservatives who know how to use it.
The 2026 election cycle will feature governorships in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming, to name just a few. These races offer a chance to reset the Republican Party — state by state — with DeSantis-caliber fighters.
Instead, we’re slipping backward.
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Trump has already endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for Florida governor — nearly two years before the election. In most red states, Donalds would look like an upgrade. But Florida isn’t most red states. Florida is the citadel of conservatism. It deserves a contested primary, not a coronation. Donalds hasn’t led the way DeSantis has — either nationally or in-state — so why clear the field this early? Why not at least wait and see whether DeSantis backs a candidate?
And don’t forget about the state legislatures.
Freedom Caucuses have made real gains in turning GOP supermajorities into something that matters. But in Texas, House Speaker Dustin Burrows cut a deal with Democrats to grab power — then torched the entire session. Conservative voters are eager to remove Burrows and the cronies who enabled him.
We’ll never drain the swamp this way
This is where Trump should be getting involved — endorsing against the establishment, not propping it up.
Instead, he’s doing the opposite.
Trump recently pledged to back Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows and his entire entourage of RINO loyalists — just because they passed a watered-down school choice bill that also funneled another $10 billion into the state’s broken public-school bureaucracy.
The same pattern holds in Florida.
The House speaker there, Daniel Perez, has consistently blocked Governor Ron DeSantis’ agenda, including efforts to strengthen immigration enforcement — policies that are now a national model. Despite this, Perez cozied up to Byron Donalds. Donalds returned the favor, but refused to take sides in the Perez versus DeSantis clashes. He also ducked the fights against Amendments 3 and 4. So what exactly qualifies Donalds to become Trump’s handpicked candidate in the most important red state in America?
This new paradigm — where candidates secure Trump endorsements just by parroting his name — has allowed RINO governors and legislators to push corporatist policies while staying firmly in Trump’s good graces. They wrap themselves in the MAGA brand without lifting a finger to advance its agenda.
That’s not the movement we were promised.
At some point, conservatives must face the hard truth: The swamp isn’t being drained. It’s getting refilled — with Trump’s help. We can’t keep celebrating Trump’s total control of the GOP while hand-waving away the RINOs, as if they’re some separate, unaccountable force. Trump has the power to shape the party. He could use it to clean house.
Instead, he keeps using it to protect the establishment from grassroots primaries.
At the very least, he should withhold endorsements until candidates prove they can deliver on the campaign’s promises. Don’t hand out golden Trump cards before they’ve earned them.
Mr. President, please don’t be such a cheap date.
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