Update: Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson did not attend closed-door RGA meeting with Pfizer CEO
As previously reported, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla attended a closed-door meeting with the Republican Governors Association. Now, the offices of only 3 GOP governors have stated they did not attend.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was not among Republican governors attending a closed-door meeting with the Republican Governors Association (RGA) and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla at the Conrad Hotel in Washington, D.C.
As I previously reported, about a month ago, Project Veritas published a video on Feb. 9 of their attempts to get Bourla to answer questions related to its recent reporting of statements made by a Pfizer executive to an undercover reporter. You can read my article here:
At the end of the Project Veritas video, its reporter stated Bourla was at the hotel to attend a closed-door meeting with the RGA.
As I wrote at the time, I attempted to contact all 26 offices of Republican governors on Feb. 10 to get some answers to simple, basic questions. Those questions were did they attend the closed-door meeting with Bourla and, if so, what was the nature of the meeting?
When I wrote that piece, only one office had responded, that of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, whose office said she did not attend. On Feb. 16, I followed up after receiving a response from Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office stating he did not attend the closed-door meeting:
As I stated in both pieces, I would provide follow ups if more responses come in, even if it’s a month or more later.
I noted in the original piece that a majority of the offices of Republican governors did not provide any press relations contact info at all on their websites leaving only constituent service contact forms as the only means to contact them electronically. Parson’s office was one of those.
But yesterday, I got a response from Parson’s constituency services office providing contact info for his communications team. This morning, I contacted his office and got a response from Stephanie Whitaker, Parson’s deputy communications director, who responded:
“Missouri Governor Mike Parson has not attended any recent RGA events. He most recently participated in the NGA Winter Meeting and his breakout meeting was with the Delta Regional Authority regarding the Mississippi River Bottom.”
For reference, the NGA is the National Governors Association which held its winter meeting from Feb.9-11, also in D.C. As for the Delta Regional Authority, its website describes itself:
“The Delta Regional Authority works to improve regional economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of the 10 million people who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state Delta region. Led by the Delta Regional Authority Board – comprised of the Federal Co-Chairman, appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and the governors of the eight states – the Delta Regional Authority fosters local and regional partnerships that address economic and social challenges to ultimately strengthen the Delta economy and the quality of life for Delta residents.”
“Established in 2000 by Congress, the Delta Regional Authority makes strategic investments of federal appropriations into the physical and human infrastructure of Delta communities. Through the States’ Economic Development Assistance Program, these investments help to improve transportation and basic public infrastructure and to strengthen our workforce development system and local business environments. The Delta Regional Authority supports job creation and economic development through innovative approaches to growing local and regional leadership, increasing access to quality healthcare, and boosting opportunities for entrepreneurs to obtain affordable capital.”
“The 252 counties and parishes served by the Delta Regional Authority make up the most distressed area of the country. The time for action has arrived and the Delta Regional Authority is poised to work with local, state, and federal leaders to bring investment and opportunity back to the Delta region.”
As for the RGA and its closed-door meeting with Bourla, there are now 23 GOP governors who may have been in attendance: Kay Ivey (Alabama), Mike Dunleavy (Alaska), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas), Ron DeSantis (Florida), Brian Kemp (Georgia), Brad Little (Idaho), Eric Holcomb (Indiana), Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Tate Reeves (Mississippi), Greg Gianforte (Montana), Jim Pillen (Nebraska), Chris Sununu (New Hampshire), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Kevin Stitt (Oklahoma), Henry McMaster (South Carolina), Bill Lee (Tennessee), Greg Abbott (Texas), Spencer Cox (Utah), Phil Scott (Vermont), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia) Jim Justice (West Virginia) and Mark Gordon (Wyoming).
As I also noted previously, I contacted the RGA’s press team. My questions to the RGA: Can you send me an agenda for the conference? Can you provide a list of the Republican governors in attendance at the conference and those in attendance at the Bourla meeting? Why was Bourla invited to attend the conference for a closed-door meeting? What was the nature of the Bourla meeting? Were there any recordings for the Bourla meeting and, if so, can it be shared with the public?
The RGA has not responded.
But, I will state again, if any more responses come in, I will provide an update.