FAA head takes heat for lobby job
Federal Aviation Administration head Marion Blakey is leaving government service to take a job with the Aerospace Industry Association, an industry lobbying group. The move has sparked criticism in Washington. Steve Henn reports.
Marion Blakey, former administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Doug Krizner: The head of the FAA is leaving today after five-years of government service. The next job for Marion Blakey will be with the Aerospace Industry Association. Yes, it's a lobbying group. And the move's sparked criticism in Washington. Steve Henn reports.
Steve Henn: Marion Blakey, the outgoing head of the FAA, began negotiating for a new job with the Aerospace Industries Association this June. One of the association's top lobbying priorities was increasing funding for the FAA, Blakey's agency.
Scott Amey from the Project on Government Oversight says that raises some questions.
Scott Amey: Congress needs to go and investigate, you know, what programs and projects Marion Blakey worked on to determine whether she was doing anything that would have benefited her future employer.
John Douglas is the current head of the Aerospace Industries Associations. He says:
John Douglas: There shouldn't be this witch hunt. There are rules, and we very, very scrupulously follow those rules.
Blakey couldn't be reached yesterday, but has told reporters she's quote "taken aback and a bit appalled" by all the fuss.
In Washington, I'm Steve Henn for Marketplace.
