DOD Communications Regarding Private Individuals Involved in Covid-19 Response

Records from the Department of Defense released in response to American Oversight’s request for emails with or about private individuals employed by firms enlisted in the coronavirus response by Jared Kushner. These records include communications with Jared Kushner concerning pandemic-related contracts and supplies. Details on the contents of these records are below.

 

In the Documents

April 4, 2020: Rob Moran, the president of ATOR Labs, sent White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner an email with the subject line “Ventilator manufacturer.” Moran wrote that his company had developed an emergency ventilator and was filing for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. He continued, “We have been closely following the Trump administration, and know that you are a key figure in the Federal response to this pandemic. With a sliver of Federal resources, we would exponentially increase our production to match the exponential rise of the COVID-19 virus.” 

April 7, 2020: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s chief of staff Tony Venhuizen asked Kushner for help obtaining hydroxychloroquine for a trial that was occuring in the state. Kushner forwarded the message to Rear Adm. John Polowczyk, who asked Robert Farmer, an official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to get in touch with them. South Dakota’s trial was discontinued in June 2020.

April 8, 2020: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft forwarded Jared Kushner an email from a contact named Joe Montgomery, who wrote: “One of my companies is working with [the Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development] on a drinking water initiative. One of our suppliers has several million certified N95 masks. Thought you could help me get to right federal contact.” Kushner forwarded the message to Polowczyk.

April 9, 2020: Adam Boehler, the CEO of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, sent Polowczyk and Kushner an email titled “Gowns,” the content of which is fully redacted. Polowczyk responded with estimated projections of gown usage in hospitals.