Lever Time - Premium

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: Producer Frank sits down with journalists Julia Rock, Rebecca Burns, and Matthew Cunningham-Cook for an in-depth conversation about The Lever’s groundbreaking reporting on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The group explores how an environmental disaster like this can occur, including examining the influence of the railroad and chemical lobbies, as well as detailing the regulatory capture of three separate presidential administrations. The group also details how The Lever’s reporting gained national coverage, triggered a public pressure campaign, and helped lead to a response from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (1:50).

Then, on this week’s bonus segment, we speak with independent journalist John Russell who has been on the ground in East Palestine for the last two weeks speaking with residents, railroad workers, and rail union leaders. John offers additional insight into why this derailment occurred and how railroad workers have been warning of a scenario like this for some time (44:24). 

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.