WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his family was the target of a false report that prompted an investigation by Child Protective Services and the Michigan State Police, an incident authorities later determined was unfounded after interviews and an initial review of the allegations.
The episode, disclosed by Buttigieg in a Substack post published Friday and confirmed by Michigan State Police, has drawn attention to the use of false reports against public figures and the burden such cases can place on child welfare agencies and law enforcement. State police said false reports divert resources from legitimate emergencies and investigations.
According to Buttigieg, a state trooper and a Child Protective Services worker came to his home in Traverse City, Michigan, earlier this week after receiving an anonymous allegation claiming his four-year-old twins were at risk. He said authorities instructed him not to be alone with the children until forensic interviews had been completed, and the children spent the night with their grandparents while the investigation proceeded.
Michigan State Police said in a statement that officers and Child Protective Services "responded and determined the report was false." The agency added, "False reports are dangerous and divert law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services workers from responding to legitimate emergencies and protecting vulnerable children and families."
In his account, Buttigieg said the anonymous caller alleged they had spoken with a woman who claimed to have met him years earlier at a conference in Alabama, where she purportedly said Buttigieg confessed to violent crimes. Buttigieg wrote that he had never been to the location described and said the allegation was fabricated. He said the responding officer indicated the claim would not be referred to prosecutors after investigators found no evidence supporting it, while the CPS worker likewise said nothing had substantiated the allegation, although the agency's administrative process would take additional time to conclude.
Buttigieg praised the professionalism of the responding officials while describing the experience as "among the darkest hours of my life." He also wrote that he believed the report was politically motivated, though Michigan State Police have not publicly identified a suspect or announced evidence establishing a motive.
As of Saturday, authorities had confirmed the anonymous report was false. No charges had been announced, and Michigan State Police had not released additional information about any investigation into the person responsible for making the report.
