Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is taking aim at Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for taking paternity leave amid supply-chain issues last year.
“The secretary of Transportation in the greatest supply-chain crisis of our lives went on paternity leave and was nowhere to be found,” Cruz said on Wednesday.
He added, “Two years ago, most people didn’t know much about our supply-chain, didn’t ever really focus on the fact that we had a supply-chain until Biden and the socialists came in and screwed it up. And the people who are hurting [are] working men and women.”
Watch the video below:
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) complains about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg taking paternity leave “in the middle of the greatest supply-chain crisis of our lives.” pic.twitter.com/4TMYk8TQ5z
— The Recount (@therecount) May 4, 2022
Buttigieg faced criticism last year after he took paternity leave as supply-chain issues hit the country leading to shortages of products.
Fox News’ Tucker Carlson poked fun at the Transportation secretary during a segment on his show.
“Pete Buttigieg has been on leave from his job since August after adopting a child. Paternity leave, they call it,” Carlson said.
He added, “Trying to figure out how to breastfeed, no word on how that went.”
In case you missed it:
Tucker Carlson mocks Pete Buttigieg for taking paternity leave: "Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure out how to breastfeed, no word on how that went." pic.twitter.com/zFnp6uSser
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) October 15, 2021
Buttigieg defended the decision to go on paternity leave, telling CNN’s Jake Tapper in October, “As you might 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 premature newborn infant twins,” he continued.
Buttigieg added, “The work that we are doing is joyful, fulfilling, wonderful work. It’s important work. And it’s work that every American ought to be able to do when they welcome a new child into their family.”
He also said that his colleagues at the department were doing “phenomenal work.”
“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,” he said.
Buttigieg added, “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.