Lawsuit: Airports Authority Spawns Culture of Discrimination, Retaliation, Nepotism

A former police officer for airports authority claims she was wrongfully dismissed while others face little or not penalties for more egregious violations.

A former Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer filed suit in federal court earlier this year against the agency, alleging discrimination, retaliation and nepotism, and asserting that her 2012 dismissal has stymied her career.  Attorneys for Isabel Smeal said in a recent interview that Smeal’s case demonstrates a sour atmosphere at MWAA that protects insiders and punishes those who question authority or the lack thereof. “It is our belief that the culture of being opaque and not listening to employees is agency-wide and has leaked into the police department as well,” said Michael L. Vogelsang Jr., one of Smeal’s attorneys. MWAA has come under investigation for some of the practices of its administration and board, and in…

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Five Bid for Silver Line Phase 2 Contract

Contractors estimate costs of $1.1 to more than $1.3 billion.

Five contractors - including Reston-based Bechtel - have entered bids to construct Phase 2 of Metro's Silver Line, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced Friday.  The bids ranged from $1.1 to $1.3 billion. Phase 2 is the 11.4-mile segment of the Silver Line that will run from Reston's Wiehle Avenue to Dulles International Airport and into Ashburn, Phase 1 of the Silver Line, from Tysons Corner  to Wiehle Avenue, is nearly completed and scheduled to open in December. MWAA said Friday the award of the Phase 2 contract will occur after a review to validate that each proposal properly responds to the solicitation.  “Today is a significant step toward the selection of the design-build contractor for Phase 2,” Pat Nowakowski, …

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WAMU: MWAA Members Targeted Martire, Reiley

Three allegedly worked with GOP in Virginia to oust Democrats from the organization responsible for building the Silver Line.

Three members of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors allegedly actively worked with Republican officials in Virginia to orchestrate the removal of Mame Reiley and union supporter Dennis Martire from the board, according to a story published Wednesday on American University Radio's (WAMU 88.5) website. MWAA and its board have come under scrutiny in recent years after an audit discovered questionable practices, including sweetheart deals for former board members, questionable travel expenses and nepotism. Martire was among those named for his activities, particularly an expensive trip on behalf of the organization. The Democratic members were removed, despite the internal review of MWAA raising much broader …

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Airport Holiday Travel Tips from MWAA

Information, websites and more that can help you get through the airport.

With the holidays comes holiday traveling and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has tips for customers traveling through Dulles International and Reagan National airports.  “We advise our customers to plan ahead and arrive early during peak times this holiday season,” said Jack Potter, MWAA President and CEO in a press release. “We are committed to providing an excellent, welcoming experience to all travelers who come to our airports — especially at this time of the year.” This year the Transportation Security Administration introduced TSAPre✓, a dedicated security checkpoint for passengers who are approved for expedited screening. Approved passengers don't have to remove their shoes, belts, laptops or 3-1-1 compliant bags from …

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Former County Exec Griffin Joins MWAA Board

Retired Fairfax County Executive appointed by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Anthony H. Griffin, who retired in April after 13 years as the Fairfax County Executive, has been appointed to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors. Griffin, who was appointed to the 17-member board by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, is currently a faculty member at George Mason University’s Department of Public and International Affairs and is the at-large Board Member of the Fairfax County Water Authority. He replaces board member Michael O'Reilly, whose term ended in November. MWAA, which manages and operates Ronald Reagan National and Dulles International airports, also oversees the Dulles Airport Access Road, the Dulles Toll Road and construction of the Silver Line project, a 23-mile extension of Metro into …

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Bob Bruhns

11:20 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

I might begin to have faith in MWAA and Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, if they would IMMEDIATELY investigate the apparent double price of the Dulles Rail project. They can easily call out the cost estimators for this project and get a full accounting of the sky-high estimates. But they do not do this. That is why I consider this whole bunch, and the surrounding 'leaders' who also do not demand …   more ›

IG Report Questions MWAA Policies

In statement, regional panel welcomes report, while letter to LaHood criticizes interference.

A long-awaited report about the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s Inspector General calls for actions beyond what the regional panel has already undertaken. MWAA, responsible for constructing Metro’ Silver Line project from Falls Church to Ashburn, came under fire for lax oversight of its members. The IG report also raises questions about whether the organization’s policies permit favoritism in awarding contracts and nepotism in awarding jobs. For the full report, see the PDF attached to this article. After an interim report from the IG, MWAA approved a new travel policy and code of ethics, revised bylaws for board members and its Freedom of Information Policy and terminated contracts with…

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Bob Bruhns

12:30 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

It's just a bunch of crooks fighting over stolen money. Reports that expose their lies are not going to help them grab the money and run, so they don't demand them. The Dulles Rail project, also known as the Silver Line, costs two times what it should - we're talking about an unnecessary extra $2.5 to $3 Billion dollars of economic drain that is causing a major financial crisis for this entire …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

LTE: MWAA Provides Political Cover for Silver Line

One reader makes the case that MWAA simply insulates elected officials from angry constituents.

To the Editor: Most people have heard of the endless problems with MWAA (the guys in charge of Metro’s Silver Line construction) and their reckless spending. Still, our state and local governments keep ignoring their bad reputation when it comes to their management of the Silver Line construction. Loudoun and Virginia are handing over our taxes and tolls knowing MWAA has no incentive for efficiency. They answer to no one, at any level of government. If you want to know where the wasted billions go look at the names of companies on the campaign contributions of those who push this crony-driven spendfest. I expect you'll see the lobbyists, the contractors and the developers making hefty investments in the campaign accounts of these officials…

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Just the Facts

12:23 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012

MWAA was provided an IG Audit in May about 220 MILLION DOLLARS OF NO-BID CONTRACTS that were given out without Board approval. This is more then a bottle of wine, plane tickets or lavish dinners. This is 220 MILLION DOLLARS!!! MWAA has not told the public where this money was spent, who benefited, and why they hid all of these contracts from the Board? Who is the responsible party for putting out…   more ›

Letter to the Editor

LTE: Chamber Wrong on Metro Funding

Activist opposed to tolls for Metro says the business community should pay to keep tolls low, not state or federal government.

Well look out folks, Tony the Chamber guy is back from his big win selling that shiny train to the trusting people of Loudoun. This time he is after, you guessed it, a tax increase to cover the tab for all these ambitious new projects. But before launching into a response to Mr. Howard, I want to say how glad I am that the President & CEO of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is concerned about soaring tolls, as he should be. Why? Because tolls are just like taxes. They pick pockets and make people and businesses want to go elsewhere. Tony knows that. In fact I’ll bet he knows that SAIC, one of the largest employers in Tysons, is so excited to have a new Metro stop coming to their front door in Tysons that they are going to build the …

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Bob Bruhns

2:57 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012

Loudoun County was discussing a rail tax district in 2010, and then somehow it all fell into a memory hole until the eleventh hour in 2012. Clearly somebody wanted county taxpayers to pay for their windfall, and this is most likely still the case. Loudoun County residents and taxpayers should watch this tax district very carefully until it is enacted, because things like this tend to get trick, …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

LTE: Wrong for Tolls to Pay for Silver Line

A Purcellville resident makes his case for alternate funding of Metro.

I am against increasing the tolls on the Dulles Toll Road; particularly the plans proposed to use those tolls to finance Metro's Silver Line. It is unfair and appears to be targeted at a particular segment of people who happen to commute daily on the Toll Road or businesses that employ folks in the area. It is also unwise given wages are not keeping pace with increasing costs, especially those folks in low-pay or entry-level type jobs.  There is no guarantee that any sort of economic growth will sustain the development and maintenance of the planned extension of the Silver Line given business-preferred strategy to outsource jobs to drive down wages. If Metro wants to extend the Silver Line then Metro should pay for it from the revenues …

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Bob Bruhns

7:11 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012

The burden wouldn't have been so bad, if the cost of Dulles Rail I and II was not 1.5 to 2 times what it should have been. It's too late to bring the Phase I costs down, but people should demand that the price of Phase II not be allowed to be the ridiculous near-double cost that we have been told. The rail tations appear to cost more than two times what they should cost; the parking garages are …   more ›

Letter: AAA Opposed to MWAA's Toll Plans

"It was a rotten formula at the start whose stench only gets worse with each passing year and the skyrocketing tolls that come with it."

With another increasingly expensive round of toll fee hikes in the offing for users of the Dulles Toll Road, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), AAA Mid-Atlantic wants to reiterate clearly and loudly its opposition. We understand that someone has to pay for the $6 billion cost of the construction of the Silver Line, but the overriding question in our mind is just who that should be. At last check, local motorists, via their tolls, are being forced to shoulder nearly 60% of the costs of this project. The Commonwealth of Virginia, until pushed hard by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, had no cash in the pot—it sole contribution was to be the tolls paid by motorists. Now, after LaHood’s arm …

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Bob Bruhns

12:30 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012

People need to look at the prices in the Silver Line job. We get multi-Billion dollar total numbers, and no detail - and then people who are hiding their identities behind pen-names, tell us that those prices are normal. But that is a lie - those prices are most definitely NOT normal. They are two times the normal prices, and not surprisingly the price of the overall job is close to two times …   more ›