Records Show Pete Buttigieg Ducked Calls, Public Appearances On Leave During Supply Chain Crisis

While on eight-weeks of paid paternity leave, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg avoided phone calls and public appearances amid historic supply chain crises and infrastructure talks on Capitol Hill.

According to documents made public by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Protect the Public’s Trust, a nonprofit government watchdog, Buttigieg steered clear of multiple official duties in the fall of 2021. Buttigieg, his husband Chasten. adopted Twins born in September 1998.

During Buttigieg’s paternity leave, a staffer for the transportation secretary emailed Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office to decline an invitation to discuss bridge funds.

“Unfortunately, the Secretary is currently on leave due to the birth of his twins, and that may lead to a delay in possibly scheduling in the future,” According to Fox News’ records, the unnamed staffer wrote this. Publiziert Thursday.

The Federalist filed a similar FOIA request demanding records related to the secretary’s prolonged absence. The Transportation Department received the request Dec. 3, 2021. However, it has refused to comply with the public transparency law despite numerous follow-ups by email and phone.

According to documents unearthed by Protect the Public’s Trust, Buttigieg continued to abdicate his cabinet-level duties, citing his paternity leave as the reason for turning down an invitation to an Illinois bridge opening and a discussion with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

After the transportation chief faced criticism for taking eight weeks off — more than Five times the amount of leave taken by 70 percent of fathers who take time off for a newborn — Buttigieg Protected CNN omits his name.

“Even though I have been on maternity leave, and I’m proud of it, obviously, given the nature of my job, when you take a job like mine, you understand and accept that you’re going to have to be available 24/7, depending on what’s going on, and you’re going to have to engage,” Buttigieg said. “And I did, even if that meant taking a phone call or making a decision from a hospital room. But I am so thankful for the phenomenal work that my colleagues at the Department of Transportation have done and are doing.”

Buttigieg’s extended absence coincided with congressional talks on infrastructure, in which the secretary’s department was ultimately allotted More than 100 billion Public transportation.

The extended leave was also combined with the bottleneck supply chain crisis which saw More than 150 ships Wait in California ports before loading cargo.

Buttigieg’s tenure in the Biden administration has been marked by prominent turmoil, unusual for a cabinet-level position that’s traditionally a quiet role out of public view.

Wednesday will see the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Ground All air traffic was shut down for the first time since September 11. Officials blamed the chaos on a corrupted file.

Southwest Airlines had to cancel approximately 900 flights last month due to inclement weather, internal strife and other factors. 13,000 Flights Over several days during Christmas.