Despite no experience in the aviation industry, Phillip Washington was nominated by Joe Biden to lead the FAA. He pulled his nomination last week after multiple accusations and connections of criminal activities under his watch at the LA Metro became known.
Reporter Cece Woods in Los Angeles is responsible for most of this reporting over the past year. She documents the whole story at The Current Report.
The debacle started when Washington began hiring his relatives at the LA Metro to good paying jobs. This led to accusations of sexual abuse by one of his relatives:
The story begins in 2017, sexual harassment allegations against Alex Wiggans, Chief of Systems Security and Law Enforcement were brought by LA Metro employee Sandra Solis, a nepotism hire by Washington. During the investigation into the sexual harassment by Wiggans, investigators asked Jennifer Loew, then Special Projects Manager, about Solis and nepotism at LA Metro.
…Loew provided investigators with the names of Jon Gordon, Harold Martin, Patricia Martin and Ashely Martin, all nepotism hires who received direct appointments by Washington along with special compensation (at the objection of metro’s HR) in amounts that could lead to indictments of Washington for Grand Theft.
Loew’s testimony was leaked to Washington and she was immediately targeted by the Washington-led LA Metro. After years of abuse, Loew sued the LA Metro and won.
As a result of the well-documented harassment, Loew sued L.A. Metro and was awarded $620,000 in restitution, after facing off against Sheppard Mullin, an International Law Firm at which former DA Robert Philibosian is a partner. “It was a losing battle from the start for the Phil Washington, LA Metro, and the LA Metro Board in the courtroom. The court ruled 100% of the time in Jennifer’s favor after Sheppard Mullin unleashed a barrage of Law And Motion filings” said Adam Loew. “ I believe the problem was that the mainstream media are so intrenched and dependent on the access to the Sheila Kuehl and the rest of the Metro Board, that they were unwilling to jeopardize those relationships to report the truth about corruption in Los Angeles” he continued.
An investigation then ensued and warrants were served in 2021.
On February 19, 2021, after a two-year investigation, the Los County Sheriff’s Department, served criminal warrants to LA Metro, the LA Metro Office of Inspector General and Peace Over Violence over allegations of Fraud, Waste and Abuse, Public Corruption and Pay to Play between Peace Over Violence CEO Patti Giggans, LA Metro CEO Phillip Washington, Washington’s Chief of Staff Nadine Lee, former New Orleans RTA CEO Alex Wiggins and LA Metro Executive Officer Aston Greene III.
The Mainstream Media ignored this story until *after* warrants were served on September 14th, 2022. Cece Woods was the only reporter on site the day the warrants were served.
This was the beginning of the end for Biden’s nominee for FAA Director. Senator Ted Cruz crushed Washington in his time before the Senate.
This past weekend, Phillip Washington withdrew his nomination for FAA Director.