Pete Buttigieg avoided requests from Republicans and Democrats during paternity leave

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has turned down requests to speak to a Republican senator, direct invitations to him from the White House and a request to appear publicly from a Democrat during his time on paternity leave, despite his promise of availability. was revealed on Thursday.

Department of Internal Transportation documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by the group Protecting the public trust show Buttigieg declined a request to call with Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and to participate in the Zoom call for an event with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

The alleged reason was his paternity leave. Buttigieg and her husband Chasten welcomed twins Joseph August (called Gus) and Penelope Rose in August 2021.

The transportation secretary came under fire when it was revealed he took at least three months of paid leave at a time when President Joe Biden was trying to get his infrastructure bill passed on Capitol Hill and America’s ports were at stake. a transportation crisis.

Department of Transportation documents from a Freedom of Information Act request show refusals made on behalf of Buttigieg

The young cabinet secretary is a popular public speaker and an on-camera surrogate for the Biden administration.

Buttigieg later argued that he had been available, telling CNN in October 2021 that “when you take a job like mine, you understand and agree that you’re going to have to be available 24/7 depending on what’s going on.” what’s going on, and you’re going to have to participate.

But emails from his staff show he said no to several things, including a request by Senator Grassley in September 2021 to speak by phone about a request for bridge funding in his state.

“Unfortunately, the secretary is currently on leave due to the birth of his twins, and that may lead to a potential delay in scheduling in the future,” he emailed Grassley’s office, according to the statement. documents posted on the Protect the Public’s Trust website.

Buttigieg’s office offered to schedule a call when the secretary returned or connect the senator with a representative. Grassley chose to speak with the deputy.

He also turned down an offer to speak via Zoom at an event hosted by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, which the White House had directed to the Department of Transportation.

Greg Ellis of the Indiana group said he had been directed by a White House Office of Public Engagement staffer to contact Buttigieg about the event.

“I’ve scored for the programming team and hopefully I can get this done,” DOT Senior Advisor Lynda Tran responded.

But senior staff in Buttigieg’s office delegated the appearance to another department official.

‘I think we can delegate? I can tell he’s on leave,” the staff member said of the event.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (left) wanted to speak to Buttigieg on the phone about a request for bridge funding in his state; Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos (right) invited him to a bridge dedication in her House district

Buttigieg also refused to travel to Illinois in October 2021 to attend a bridge opening there when Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos’ office invited him to attend the event in his district.

“This is a $1.2 billion bridge that means a lot to the community and has been supported by former secretaries,” the legislator’s office said.

But Buttigieg’s staff refused on his behalf, saying he “is currently on paternity leave, so he can’t travel at this time.”

Buttigieg was criticized for taking leave while in a senior government position.

Additionally, cabinet secretaries are not eligible for the same paid family leave benefits as federal workers: 12 weeks of paid leave.

“Individuals in the executive branch who are appointed by the president to positions in the executive program are not covered by the leave system,” a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management told Politico at the time the leave of absence was revealed. Buttigieg.

They are not licensed and serve at the will of the president. The president may choose to allow you to take time off.

Americans do not receive federally required paid leave, although the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Employers often set their own policies in that area.

Pete and Chasten Buttigieg announced that their son had spent three weeks in and out of the hospital with an undisclosed illness and spent a week on a ventilator.

Buttigieg defended his time off, telling CNN in October 2021 that: “As you can imagine, we’re bottle-feeding and doing it at all hours of the day and night. And I’m not going to apologize to Tucker Carlson or anyone else for taking care of my newborn premature twins.

‘The work we are doing is joyful, rewarding and wonderful work. It’s an important job. And it’s a job that all Americans should be able to do when they welcome a new child into their family,” she said.

He and Chasten Buttigieg later revealed that their son Gus spent three weeks in the hospital after he was born, including a week on a ventilator.

‘After 3 weeks in and out of hospitals, 125 miles in an ambulance and a scary week on a ventilator, Gus is home, smiling and doing great!’ Chasten tweeted in November 2021.