
Follow up: DOT used its resources to promote “Mayor Pete” documentary to agency employees
- February 2, 2023
Karen Townsend, Hot Air
This post is a follow-up to one I wrote in April 2022. Protect the Public’s Trust, an ethics watchdog, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Transportation. The lawsuit was in response to the department’s failure to release records involving the movie “Mayor Pete.” PPT requested records of the movie, its production, and its release.
That lawsuit resulted in obtaining records. The records show that, while he did not appear to promote the film “Mayor Pete,” it seems like the agency did use its resources to promote the film to DOT employees. Buttigieg claimed to have no financial interest in the movie that documented his failed presidential run, the film certainly could work to his benefit in any future run for office.
Buttigieg may have not had a financial interest in the documentary about his failed presidential run, his life with his husband, and his arrival in the Biden cabinet but repeated pitches were made to DOT employees hyping the documentary about the Secretary to DOT employees.