Allen calls for airports director Martire to step down

BY: LIZ ESSLEY SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 | 3:35 PM | MODIFIED: SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 AT 5:15 PM
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Republican U.S. Senate candidate George Allen again stepped into the storm of controversy regarding the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, calling for Democratic opponent Tim Kaine to ask his appointee to the airports board to step down and drop his lawsuit against Virginia.

Dennis Martire was removed from the MWAA board earlier this year by Gov. Bob McDonnell, who cited Martire's well-publicized and expensive trips around the world on the authority's dime, as well as a potential conflict of interest with his work as a union executive. But Martire is fighting the ouster in court, saying the governor's action politicized the board. The airports authority has yet to decide how much they will pay for his legal bills.

"Tim Kaine needs to publicly call on his appointee, Dennis Martire, to resign from the MWAA board and end this costly litigation over his dismissal. The fact that unions are one of Tim Kaine's largest contributors shouldn't prevent him from doing the right thing. Mr. Martire very clearly has a long record of misconduct, abused taxpayer funds and now his lawsuit against the MWAA board is spending precious money on litigation rather than transportation," Allen said.

Kaine has not responded.

lessley@washingtonexaminer.com

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