President Biden’s nominee to head the FAA, Phil Washington, had a warrant served this morning in the criminal case involving his previous role at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority.
BREAKING: #LASD serving warrants in multiple locations in the criminal case involving @metrolosangeles @SheilaKuehl , Patti Giggans, @PeaceOvrViolnce & Phil Washington currently in nomination process by @JoeBiden for head of FAA. pic.twitter.com/VuRzvm0iqC
— The Local (@thelocalmalibu) September 14, 2022
Washington is the current head of Denver International Airport. The Denver City Council approved hiring him despite a criminal investigation covering his prior role in Los Angeles where a whistleblower – that Washington calls a disgruntled employee – claims there was a corrupt contracting process. In particular several no-bid contracts for LA Metro’s sexual harassment hotline were awarded at a cost of over $8,000 per call to a charity led to a friend and donor of Metro board member and L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. She says the contract decision was Washington’s.
Whether there was actual, prosecutable corruption, or mere incompetence – and whether Washington was involved in any corruption or simply a hands-off manager – the scenarios and optics here do not look good for his nomination or for the Biden administration.
How good a manager could he be if the contract was corrupt? If the contract wasn’t corrupt and just a horrible deal? If he’s supervising disgruntled employees who make up allegations of corruption? Yet it’s his management skill that is supposed to justify the appointment.
T&I chair Rep. Peter DeFazio sings the praises of Phil Washington, nominee for the next FAA administrator:
"Washington doesn't have a tremendous amount of aviation experience, but what that place [FAA] needs is a manager. And this guy is a manager." 1/2
— Oriana Pawlyk (@Oriana0214) July 13, 2022
The only ‘save’ here is that Denver hired him knowing about the story, and the Biden administration vetted him and nominated him knowing about the story. While it seems a strange risk to take, they were confident enough in taking it that I have to wonder if there’s less here than meets the eye.
(HT: @crucker)
What kind of “manager” can Washington be, if his expertise in management–including bid and contract awards–includes an organization charging $8,000- per ‘phone call?
I believe the issue is he previously rented from Hertz….
His LinkedIn Bio states, among his education: streets of the south side of Chicago. Well of course he’s corrupt. He’s not alone. ATL, DTW, PHL etc etc all the same. Tell me what they all have in common.
He had a reference from Hunter Biden.
Gotta meet those DEI quotas no matter what.
Who else remembers when Sheila Kuehl played Zelda on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” 1959-63? It was a funny show. Dobie’s (Dwayne Hickman) best friend was Maynard G. Krebs a beatnik played by Bob Denver who went on to become Gilligan. I’m certainly dating myself here…
David, I can answer that question. It’s the same reason North STL is a war zone.
The first of many brain dead Biden nominees to be served
LA County resident and this is not surprising at all, Kuehl is craven and corrupt even by LA standards and I’m sure she steered Washington to give a no bid contract to an essentially fake business.
@David Miller
Kind of like all the brain dead Chump Fools continually being served and ending up in prison. Oh yeah Davey, just as a reminder I don’t have cable so I don’t watch CNN and nor would I watch Fox.
Someone associated with the biden crime family is having legal troubles??? Say it ain’t so!
LOL. You HAVE to be a scumbag to be a demokkkrat.
Rog – Keeping your head buried in the sand and keep refusing to view different news sources is why you don’t have a clue to the reality of just who is really corrupt. You and everyone who thinks like you are the reason America is in the situations we find ourselves today because of the corrupt, lying socialist liberal DemocRats who have a brain dead so-called president ruining America. Compare America today to where America was just 21 months ago – that you cannot ignore as the traitor in the White House continues destroying everything that made America the greatest nation in the world.
The Biden Terrorist Organization hires the best criminals money can buy.
Sometimes when I read the comments in here I wonder what alternate reality of a world people live in… so much random hate and stupidity.
Lara S. – I believe that what you posted is the definition of a DemocRat
Awkward!
It is all part of a greater plan. Joe Biden looks after his own and what a great Prime Minister he is. We would love to have him as Prime Minister of Pakistan which is where I am from.
@Alan sorry but the Bidens did not renew the Trump Hotel contacts at $1,000,000 per night.
@Lara this is why we need NO POLITICAL COMMENTS.
Why am I not surprised?