Judge Schell denies McDonnell Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority coup attempt

Labor received a relatively rare victory in Virginia on Monday when Fairfax County Judge David S. Schell denied the commonwealth’s (i.e. Gov. Bob McDonnell) request to allow Dennis Martire’s replacement to take his seat on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board.[1]

Dennis Martire is the vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America. In June, Gov. Bob McDonnell moved to remove Martire over “well publicized issues regarding individual decisions made by Mr. Martire as a board member involving tax dollars, coupled with his continued reluctance to improve the transparency of his actions.”[2] If I didn’t know any better, I would think this quote is referring to Gov. Bob McDonnell himself!

Not much of a revelation, but McDonnell’s move to fill Martire’s seat on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board is little more than a naked attempt to assert control over the board by installing a member with less labor-friendly sentiments. God forbid someone on the board looking out for the little guy.

Were it a Republican-appointed board member under fire for overseas travel expenses, it’s unlikely that King McDonnell would even deign to raise the issue in public or move so quickly to fill the vacuum left behind by the accusations.

Be that as it may, Judge Schell’s rejection of McDonnell’s coup attempt has given McDonnell another momentary political black-eye to accompany the hook thrown by Mitt Romney when he chose Paul Ryan to be his vice presidential candidate.[3]  One more political blow and McDonnell may be down for the count!

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[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/fairfax-judge-denies-move-to-fill-martires-seat-on-airports-authority-board/2012/08/13/ac326dca-e58e-11e1-8f62-58260e3940a0_story.html

[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginia-gov-robert-f-mcdonnell-seeks-removal-of-mwaa-board-member-dennis-martire/2012/06/14/gJQA1Ju8cV_story.html

[3] http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-days-of-taft-20120813,0,3544670.story