Ted Lieu Says Agency Is A 'Shill For Corporations' -- While Shilling For Airport-Haters

U.S. Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) has sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta urging him to withdraw a recent cease and desist order regarding Santa Monica Airport. FAA issued the order after the City of Santa Monica began taking steps to establish its own fixed-base operator service.

“In the Order, the [FAA] incorrectly stated that the city of Santa Monica “chose not to oppose” judicial motions filed by the two fixed-base operators, American Flyers, Inc. and Atlantic Aviation FBO, Inc.," Lieu (pictured) said in the letter. "In fact, the city clearly opposed the motions in court filings and no orders were issued from the motions by the FBOs…”

“Even more troubling than the FAA's ignorance is that the Order contradicts the FAA’s own guidance allowing airport sponsors to exclusively provide aeronautical services. The FAA's Order prevents the city, the operator of Santa Monica Airport, from seeking to serve as its own FBO providing various aeronautical services including fueling services. The FAA, however, specifically gave cities such as Santa Monica the right to be its own FBO…”

“The mission of the FAA is ‘to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.’  The FAA's mission is not to be a shill for corporations. I call on the FAA to live up to its mission by rescinding its overreaching order and, instead, work with the city of Santa Monica.”

E-I-C Note: Of course, the Congressman fails to explain his own willingness to shill for a local government that has played fast and loose with the facts, acted aggressively to destroy the lives and livelihoods of those in support of the airport, and has conducted itself with a stunning lack of foresight in order to appease a small group of airport-haters and a number of politically-connected property speculators. Sigh... -- Jim Campbell, ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief

(Source: Congressman Ted Lieu news release. Image from file)

FMI: Full Letter