Credit to Geraldo Rivera for this. Who were ON the Key Bridge?

[underpants]

Link to tweet

?s=46&t=3VBm1LJ8j8qLp6JTs_8J2A

[hlthe2b]

1. I will echo his message and sentiment (not Geraldo* personally).

(*see his comments toward Rachel Maddow over the Ronna McDaniel issue)

But he is eminently right on this. Blessings to those poor lost men.

[a kennedy]

3. and to their families......

[hlthe2b]

5. Yes. A tragedy all the way around...

[calimary]

48. Yep. And to their families.

They died, doing work none of us would offer to do.



Some historical Figure in the Bible said “suffer the little children (to come unto me)”. Well, they’re suffering alright. As famine sets in…

OMG …

[underpants]

6. Haven't seen those but he seriously changed a horrible part of the USA

His documentary on mental health hospitals and the conditions in them fundamentally altered that world. I worked with social workers who worked in the field at the time. Everything changed and a lot of heads rolled.

Of course, the Reagan old white men siezed upon this and started closing (funding) on these facilities and homelessness became a constant in our country.

[hlthe2b]

8. I remember that documentary investigative work much earlier in his career and was a fan then...

A lot changed over the years, unfortunately. But, he generally has not turned his back on the plight of immigrants and Latinos nor exploited them (as some of the other RW commentators have toward members of their own race, ethnicity, or gender)

[unweird]

51. "Apparently Undocumented" seems at the least a slur

If not exploiting the situation and the victims to play up that reichwing invasion talking point.

[IbogaProject]

52. Undocumented Migrant is the current term

The Biden Administration dropped using alien as a term, they are now called migrants.

[niyad]

54. The problem is with the word "apparently".

[IbogaProject]

57. Oh that is bad

Yes poor phrasing, sorry I missed that detail.

[jimfields33]

35. Yes but we've had decades to fix it. In fact, whatever bills he signed should have been revoked.

Anytime in the last 40 years. Yes congress has to do this, just as congress at the time put it in front of Reagan. Let’s revoke all those horrid laws in 2025 with our trifecta (which I believe we’ll have again).

[hlthe2b]

4. From all appearances and reporting (and video) to date, it appears there was NO TIME.

(for them to get off the bridge)

[JMCKUSICK]

9. It has also been reported that they had

Time to stop any traffic from entering the bridge, it would seem not much of a stretch to acknowledge that these men were very likely the very first to see what happened and possibly report it to their bosses first?

[hlthe2b]

10. The police that stopped traffic did so within seconds of the mayday signal from the cargo ship.

That is documented. There is no evidence that anyone on the bridge would have had access to any such messaging. And if you listen to the audio of that, it is clear the bridge fell just as the former was happening. They only managed to prevent further traffic onto the bridge.

I was awake when the first video hit Twitter and before there was any MSM reporting--which shortly followed. If you do some research I think you will find that all happened so fast it is truly miraculous that more lives weren't lost. Further, as is required in the Baltimore harbor, the ship's captain was not steering the ship but rather an assigned highly trained harbor pilot was on board.

I hear from you a seeming conspiracy theory where I do not believe any exists at least as to the fate of those lost. The cause of the electrical failure and why that was not caught earlier is certainly subject to investigation.

[onenote]

11. They were in their car eating. In the middle of the night. Why do you think they saw anything

And the company that hired them didn't "cause" their death -- so not manslaughter, voluntary or involuntary.

[JMCKUSICK]

13. I'm not a lawyer, but I'd love to hear from one

because I believe that the act of hiring them was the act that directly lead to their death. Had they not been illegally employed, they would not have been on the bridge, hence no death. I'm not trying to argue, more from a former correctional officers perspective of lots of people being in prison for the full consequences of their actions regardless if direct impact.

[onenote]

21. You want to hear from a lawyer? You just did.

A lawyer for 46 years.

[JoseBalow]

28. Had their mothers not birthed them, they wouldn't have been there either

And their desire to be employed led directly to their presence on the bridge, so it's their own damn fault.

Right?

[TwilightZone]

59. That's one of the most ridiculous assertions I've ever read.

Just stop.

[Srkdqltr]

22. Stop it

Stop it. The ships whoever let it sail with an electronic failure, they are at fault not the guy who gainfully employed men who needed a job.

[jimfields33]

36. Wow. Really?

[underpants]

17. The bridge in total is a mile and a half long

More than half the bridge collapsed. If they had almost unbelievable notice they had 3/4 of a mile (9 city blocks) and the were not exactly in running clothes. Boots and heavy weather gear.

As a former runner I can tell you whatever the conditions it’s exaggerated 3 fold on a bridge. Hear wind cold - and it was cold there that night.

[AkFemDem]

30. Stop. There was 90 seconds!!!!

Its a MIRACLE cops happened to be close enough to be able to stop traffic on a dime. If you bother to listen to the actual audio, you'll hear exactly what happens. The first cop on scene on the southbound side was about to head across the bridge to tell the crew they needed to lave but before he was able it collapsed. He'd be dead too if it had been 30 seconds later. There isn't always a "bad guy" in a tragedy. Their employer wasn't the bad guy. The police were not the bad guys. By all accounts, the captain of the ship that hit the bridge was not the bad guy. The Biden admin wasn't the bad guy. The bridge designers were not the bad guys. There were no bad guys to blame here. Sometimes bad things just happen.

[hlthe2b]

39. Yes. Exactly.

[jaxexpat]

63. The ship had repair work done just prior to the mishap.

Sometimes schedules get in the way of quality when it comes to working for an owner who demands to get underway even if the repair never got proper QC pre-operational testing.
Just saying, someone was at fault and someone knew the ship was likely to have power failure.

[AllaN01Bear]

16. i also wonder why the employer hasnt been fined , no wait, they are the job creators , cant have that.

if i saw a huge ship bearing down on a piller id get off .

[Chainfire]

25. The workers may have been 3/4 of a mile from the ends of the bridge. They wouldn't have had time

for anything but a quick prayer if they even saw it coming which I doubt. As much as I am willing to damn unscrupulous employers, in this case, the bridge worker's bosses would not have been responsible for the fatal accident. That is on the owners of the ship, the captain and the pilot. (in no particular order) In a year we will probably have all of the details, but you can bet that the owners will be cleared, the pilot and the captain will be pilloried.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

20. The best time to delete this post was before you sent it. NT

[Chainfire]

23. Construction work is among the most deadly jobs in the nation. Last year, the most deadly job.

Over 1,000 constructions died on the job last year compared to 120 cops. The cops deaths also include car accidents. Maintaining and building your homes, offices and highways is dangerous. None of construction workers killed get bagpipes or parades few of them will have a pension or any support for the survivors other than SS benefits. The undocumented bridge worker's families won't get the SS either. Nobody, but family morns the loss of construction trash. I know this because I worked in construction for 40 years, most of which was on building sites. I will say this; I never whined, when I left home before daylight, that I knew that I may never see my family again... I was fortunate and careful, I made it through the whole time with no serious injuries; I came close, but always dodged the bullets.

I doubt that there could have been anything done to prevent the deaths of the bridge workers. The bridge dropped like it had been pole axed (which it had) The ship's mayday call came shortly before the ship hit, the workers did't have a clue what was coming, if they had a minute's warning, it may not have been enough to get clear and there wouldn't have been any system in place to give the the warning anyway.

I am heartbroken for the killed workers and their families. I worked shoulder to shoulder with undocumented aliens and I have all of the respect in the world for them. The people that I worked with worked hard, worked smart and were very productive, they didn't miss time and they didn't complain. For the most part, they are good family men, and women, working any hours offered, who live as cheaply as possible to be able to send money home to wives and children, trying to provide a better life...The American Dream.

[Hekate]

46. Thanks

[Stinky The Clown]

27. You're trying too hard.

There is no conspiracy.

There was an attempt to alert them to leave the bridge.

Read the timeline. The whole thing unfolded in seconds.

Authorities closed the bridge at the north and south entrances. Seconds later the radio traffic demonstrates CLEARLY there were attempts to warn them. Quite literally, in the middle of that conversation the bridge went down. That all took no more than a few seconds. Not minutes. Not hours. Seconds.

So please . . . . . . stop it.

[Hekate]

43. 🔥

My wish was granted. So I deleted.

[Stinky The Clown]

45. Ha! I didn't do the alert. But happy to take credit!!

[Shermann]

40. Well, it's not like they were frozen white people embryos or anything.

[RainCaster]

7. At least two have been found- still inside their truck in 25 feet of water

Who says these are all undocumented? Anyone credible?

[JMCKUSICK]

12. See comments above you for further context

That they were sitting in their truck may well be circumstancial evidence that they knew something happened. I would love to know their cell phone traffic or radio traffic in the minutes before the crash and then the collapse. These events did not, according to my understanding, occur simultaneously but several moments to minutes??? apart.

[ShazzieB]

15. Pease stop.

Please, please, please stop with the conspiracy stuff. Just stop.

[RainCaster]

18. Only conjecture- no links to reputable news organizations

Geraldo is not somebody any long time DUer would ever consider legit.

My short search of new organizations (not social media) uncovered very little.

I did find an small article in the WaPo from yesterday that mentioned the nephew of one dead worker was here illegally, and in active negotiations through his attorney to become legal.

In an article dated today by Maryland Matters "At this point, the immigration status of the six workers — whether they were in this country legally or were undocumented — is not known. ".

Hopefully, more will come out on this. However, the real story is not about the travesty of undocumented workers, but about how they are the only ones willing to do this work. IMHO, their families should be cared for without regard for their immigration status.

[TBF]

19. Laborers sit inside their truck to eat all the time -

the guys who mow our lawn weekly do that. I think you're reaching here. Not that the company who hired them shouldn't be responsible, but I doubt these workers would've even seen a text on their phone fast enough if it were sent (esp. if they were talking/eating on what is normally their evening break). I've seen in articles that some folks are suggesting more elaborate message warning systems are needed (maybe some type of lights/alarm on the bridge that could be set off) - I can see how that might be helpful in such an emergency.

[AkFemDem]

31. They were eating on their break in their vehicles- one of the survivors already explained that. STOP already.

[Scrivener7]

34. Oh, for fuck's sake. Your comments in this thread are nonsense pulled out of nowhere. What is the point of this?

[niyad]

56. And maybe they were on a break, in the only shelter available from the

wind and cold.

[RobinA]

60. This.

It had to be miserable up there. It was cold that night and the Key Bridge often has a stiff wind blowing.

[Rebl2]

33. I had

not heard that they were undocumented either. Maybe they were immigrants, but never heard or read until now they were undocumented.

[DENVERPOPS]

65. Undocumented.....Documented

The company of course is saying we don't hire undocumented workers.....LOL

Anyone remember that after Trump was "installed" as the resident of the White House, that an FBI Raid on one of his Golf Course Resorts, (Bedminster???) discovered a box of blank social security cards and a small printing press?????????? Of course they didn't quickly raid all the other Trump Golf/Resorts, or his other properties, like hotels.....

The Feds have a special Visa (H12B?? or something like that) that allows for the employment of someone with a certain skill set, not usually found in U.S. citizens. Years ago, Trump's Florida businesses had a number of those workers and he requested they allow him more.......It seems those Visa workers at Mar-a-lago ETC who had those type Visas......had a skill set not found in U.S. workers........housekeeping and cleaning rooms....

The agricultural industry, the construction industry, the meat packing industry and countless others would come to a screeching halt if it weren't for these un-documented workers.......And the many corporations running all those different industries would go belly up if they had to pay legitimate wages..........

[niyad]

69. You forgot trophy wife number 3 and her "Einstein" visa. I do not

recall anybody ever explaining what qualified her for one.

[RandomNumbers]

70. "Einstein" visas rarely, if ever, go to "Einsteins"

Just like "high skilled" visas frequently don't go to actually high-skilled persons.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43256318 (regarding Melania's visa, EB-1)

The so-called "high skilled" visa program, H1-B, has used a lottery system(!) to select from a vast pool of applicants. I am convinced that half the "master's degrees" on these applicants' resumes, are complete bullshit. To be fair, some of the folks who come in on these visas, truly are excellent, and also pretty decent people. Nothing against them for using the legal system to make their lives better. But the system is bullshit. That said - not sure where it currently stands - Biden admin has proposed to eliminate the lottery system and make it more truly skills-based. That would be a great improvement. (One more thing Biden will likely not get credit for. Of course, in this case it doesn't help that this change happens to come with expanding the numbers allowed on this visa.)

[JI7]

24. So why does Geraldo support those racist right wing conservatives ?

[Layzeebeaver]

26. he's hispanic himself - can't ignore that....

...so he has to say it. His fellows died.

[JoseBalow]

29. It's required by Hispanic code

[Hekate]

38. LOL. Jerry Rivers is his birth-name. Geraldo Rivera is a stage name.

[Layzeebeaver]

49. Haha! I did not know that!

You learn something new that you never wanted to every day!

[LudwigPastorius]

61. Gerald Riviera, actually.

His dad was Puerto Rican and his mom Jewish.

But mostly, he’s Clownish.

[ecstatic]

32. Is it confirmed that they were undocumented? Or is he just ASSuming? nt

[Hekate]

37. Respect to Geraldo for this

[Red Mountain]

41. We could force every single employer

to use e-verify for every single worker....including those that are grandfathered in.

Fine the ones that are caught employing any person not so verified. Big fines. That double and double for repeat violations.

It will never happen. It would bring our economy to a halt.

That's what you tell a Republican that complains about illegals taking all the jobs.

[Hope22]

42. ..........no person......

….is illegal………..

[JHB]

44. Well, there's an echo of the guy who was actually a decent reporter sometimes

[AdamGG]

47. It's a measure of how debased Fox and right wing media have become..

when Geraldo Rivera is too sane to appear on them.

[haele]

50. Who says they were undocumented Geraldo?

The two who survived had reportedly been in the country 17 and 19 years. They probably had documents. They could have just as easily been Naturalized Citizens or here on a green card or work/asylum visa.
Not all immigrants in the US born south of the border are undocumented.

This being said - construction work is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Long, irregular hours. Tedious, repetitive physical work. Unsafe, unprotected environments. Unscrupulous employees, with a labor force that is typically considered fungible and unskilled and not enough oversight to ensure they are properly trained, outfitted, and in some cases, not really compensated for the profit their labor brings their employer.
Construction workers are too often treated with less respect than the rental equipment used on the job. Especially "day labor", hired on for a small job and let go once they aren't needed.
And often they face enormous risks for crippling injuries and death daily without compensation to them or their families should something happen to them at work.
All so the rest of us can have living, shopping, and office spaces; roads, utilities infrastructure, and other "nice things" that we barely notice as we go about our own business.
Immigrants typically get these jobs because most citizens refuse to seriously work low paying temp jobs. People in the US somehow associate construction labor with slacker dudes that are between or can't hold down real jobs, older teens, or college students on break. I don't know why, it's a hard, underpaying business that operates on razor thin margins when approached honestly. And it's extremely dangerous, with long-term affects on health even if all the safety measures are followed.

Haele

[Grins]

53. "Apparently" is doing a lot of work here.

And if they are, were they state employees or 3rd party contracted; in which case will charges be filed against that 3rd party contractor.

[LeftInTX]

71. They were working for a state contractor. Brawner Builder. Their employer has given interviews.

I don't get the impression he was hiding anything. Obviously they didn't have union jobs. Pot holes and tar work are pretty much unskilled, lower pay road work.

I think they were all immigrants and likely were not US citizens, but that doesn't mean their employment was illegal.

One came to the US illegally 18 years ago and was working on his permanent residency. He needed to go back to Honduras to obtain his paperwork. He also has a five year old daughter who was born in the US, so he may have had some type of work permit. The fact that he had a daughter born here, allows him eligibility for permanent residency. (Green card)

[niyad]

55. "apparently undocumented"??? evidence???

[flying_wahini]

58. And I dare say that it's probably over 50% in Texas.

[Rocknation]

62. WaPo says "it has not been reported" that the workers were illegal? RIVERA reported it.

As for the vice president of the company that dare not speak their names, what part of "sub-contracting" labor does WaPo not understand?


Rocknation

[JohnnyRingo]

64. Sorry I disagree with Geraldo. American citizens should be doing that job.

Filling potholes may seem to him like a crap job that no one will do, but in Ohio it's a crap union job that ODOT does for a decent living.
Maryland must farm road maintenance out to a contractor that hires undocumented workers - not because they are the only one who will do it - but to pad their own bottom line and make their low bid.

So sad they fell victim to this unprecedented tragedy.

[PatrickforB]

66. I'm generally not all that fond of Geraldo. But as you say, it is to his credit that he

saw these workers as human beings.

[ificandream]

67. Wonder if he would have said that on Fox?

[underpants]

68. He left last year I think.

I don’t remember if he got fired or not.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

72. Yeah

How the heck does he get off saying they were "apparently undocumented...?" How was it apparent? Because of their names? Their looks? Racial profiling?

I don't give that man credit for this self serving BS post, that I wonder was really even written by him, when I saw him speak with my own two eyes about MSNBC political analysts being old, or whatever, and forcing that RNC MAGAt insurrectionist out because he thinks it would've been an opportunity for her to....I guess incriminate herself on TV? She should never have been hired in the first place.

Was this pretend giving a shit about immigrants posted to try to make up for being an old has-been MAGAt jerkoff? Ugh!

Nope.