Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is headlining a fundraiser for his son as he runs for Congress in Wisconsin — without first securing permission from the White House.
According to NOTUS, Duffy "is set to headline a meet-and-greet event for his son-in-law, Michael Alfonso, who is running for Congress in Wisconsin ... Duffy, who previously held the same Wisconsin seat before retiring in 2018, is now backing his son-in-law to win the seat vacated by Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor."
"The event is scheduled for Nov. 11 ... However, Duffy did not clear the event with the administration, a source familiar with the matter told NOTUS, and President Donald Trump has not endorsed anyone in the race," said the report.
Duffy, who has become a controversial figure as he presides over managing critical air traffic staffing shortages amid the government shutdown and is ruffling feathers in the administration over the future of NASA leadership, has actually done this before in May, the report noted, as he "was scheduled to host a fundraiser for Rep. Bill Huizenga, who at the time was strongly considering a bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan."
This was a problem, though, said the report, because "President Donald Trump’s administration was planning to back former Rep. Mike Rogers in the race, and those in Trumpworld were blindsided and infuriated when Duffy’s name showed up on a fundraising invitation, sources told NOTUS."
One White House insider raged that Duffy made a "world-class stupid decision" by going behind Trump's back yet again.
However, one spokesperson for the DOT dismissed this as a nonissue: “Leave it to D.C. gossip to find a father supporting his son-in-law breaking news. The secretary would be attending his son-in-law’s meet and greet in his personal capacity. His presence does not reflect any official administration position or endorsement.”