Remember
Crew Christie Airlines -- "You're the Graft Beneath Our Wings"? It just took a nosedive!
Quote:
New York Times: Jeff Smisek...(t)he chief executive...of United Airlines... and two senior officials...resigned...amid a federal investigation into whether the airline had traded favors with (David Samson,) the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The United States attorney for New Jersey has been investigating whether United, the nation’s third-largest airline, agreed to reinstate money-losing flights to the airport nearest the weekend home of the (Mr.) Samson, in return for improvements the airline wanted at Newark Liberty International Airport, where it is the biggest carrier...Mr. Samson was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey in 2010. He stepped down in March 2014...United discontinued the flight to South Carolina within days of Mr. Samson’s resignation from the Port Authority...
United asked (a) law firm...to conduct an internal investigation into the airline’s dealings with Mr. Samson and the Port Authority...(L)awyers close to the case predicted that it would lead to the resignation of Mr. Smisek and possibly other executives, in the hope that the airline could avoid prosecution...
The resignations also complicate the fortunes of (Chris) Christie...as he moves ahead on his presidential bid, by underscoring the accusations of cronyism that have dogged his administration since the bridge scandal broke.
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A self-financed internal investigation concluded that the CEO was guilty, so he resigned? What are the odds? And note how none of those guys are insisting that they had no idea what was going on, or that they shouldn't be held accountable for what their underlings were doing. They just left quietly (though with nice severance packages) and promised to cooperate with the authorities. Hint, hint!
Quote:
NorthJersey.com: Governor Christie said...he still considers (David Samson) a friend and isn’t sure he did anything wrong. “David (Samson) is a friend and I find all of this hard to believe,” Christie said...(to radio host) Eric Scott..."I don’t see him as much as I used to because he’s retired and moved out of state...We’ve got to be really careful not to jump to conclusions on news reports.”
...Samson is not the only Christie appointee who is the subject of a federal investigation. Bill Baroni, another Christie appointee to the Port Authority, and Bridget Kelly, a former deputy chief of staff to the governor, are facing federal charges for allegedly closing lanes at the George Washington Bridge two years ago today in an act of political retribution.
“Now I know you know nothing about Samson and this United/Continental CEO, but you appointed him and this isn’t the first time one of your appointees has come under legal fire,” (CNN’s Jake) Tapper said. “Should people question your judgment when it comes to your appointees?”
Christie told Tapper he tries to maintain a high standard and that his “entire life has been making sure that the law is enforced.” He said when issues have been brought to his attention..."I’ve acted strongly and decisively and continued to keep myself where I need to be, which is focusing on the work of the people and making sure that the standards I hold myself to are always the highest standards...(B)ut the fact is when you have 60,000 people working for you, there are going to be occasions when someone doesn’t hold up to that standard.”
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But it's NOT the tens of thousands working under you who have been "causing" your problems, Governor Soprano: It's the handful who report to you directly. And too bad nobody dared asked why Christie let Samson run the PA while he was also running a law firm that did business with the PA. At least Samson was "ethical" enough not to take a salary from the PA!
P.S. Tapper, you fcking wimp -- I hope that CNN got at least a Christie campaign commercial ad buy out of your butt-kissing!