Transportation Secretary Buttigieg didn't have supply chain meetings during crisis, schedule shows

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg did not attend any meetings on the supply chain for nearly two months as the crisis unfolded, his schedule shows. 

While on paternity leave from mid-August until early October 2022 for the birth of his twins, Buttigieg had a rather barren schedule, as shown by documents highlighted Wednesday by ethics watchdog Protect the Public's Trust.

Many days on the schedule only show one meeting titled "AJP/AFP Daily," which is on the public calendar of at least one other White House official. The Biden administration has previously used these acronyms in reference to the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) requested a meeting with Buttigieg during his paternity leave, but the secretary's office told him, "perhaps we can aim for a meeting when the Secretary returns from his leave," according to the watchdog. 

Buttigieg also did not issue a formal delegation of authority during his leave, creating some confusion within the agency, other records show.

"Perhaps it is not a coincidence that so many crises involving the Department, from the supply chain breakdown to the FAA system outage that grounded flights all over the country, have occurred on his watch," Protect the Public's Trust Director Michael Chamberlain said.