President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reportedly withdrawn his name from consideration after strong Republican criticism that he lacked experience in aviation safety.
Phil Washington, the CEO of Denver International Airport and former CEO of the Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority, was nominated by Biden last July. On Saturday night, Reuters reported his nomination was withdrawn because he did not have enough votes to get out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. A statement from the White House confirmed that Washington withdrew his name.
“Unfortunately, an onslaught of unfounded Republican attacks on Mr. Washington’s service and experience irresponsibly delayed this process, threatened unnecessary procedural hurdles on the Senate floor, and ultimately have led him to withdraw his nomination today,” Abdullah Hassan, a White House spokesman, told The New York Times on Saturday.
A vote from the…
