Pete Buttigieg Avoided Calls, Meetings While on Paternity Leave During Supply Chain Crisis, FOIA Documents Show
- January 14, 2023
Pete Buttigieg’s performance as Biden’s transportation secretary is coming under increased scrutiny. He seems to be absent whenever some major problem is unfolding.
According to FOIA documents, when Buttigieg was on paternity leave during the supply chain crisis, he was avoiding calls, meetings, and public appearances.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg avoided some phone calls and requests for public appearances while he was on paternity leave in 2021, according to internal documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
Documents obtained by the group Protect the Public’s Trust show Buttigieg declined a request for a call with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in September 2021 to discuss an application for funds toward a bridge in his state.
Buttigieg, who came under fire for taking paternity leave in August 2021 amid the supply chain crisis, reassured CNN’s Jake Tapper in October 2021 he was “available 24/7” because of the “nature of my job.” However, the DOT rebuffed the idea of him meeting with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) roughly one month before that interview, claiming Buttigieg was unavailable due to his leave status, according to emails obtained by the watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust and shared with the Washington Examiner.