The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Bryan Bedford, has acknowledged that he has not yet divested his shares in Republic Airways, despite an ethics agreement requiring him to do so within 90 days of his confirmation in July. In a letter made public on Tuesday, Bedford said he has continued to recuse himself from any FAA matters that could directly affect Republic’s financial interests while working to sell his holdings, which he previously disclosed were valued between $6 million and $30 million.
The issue drew renewed criticism last week from Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, who said Bedford was in violation of his ethics agreement. Cantwell’s office cited documents suggesting Bedford did not take steps to divest until early December. Although Bedford requested a 60-day extension, Cantwell’s office said he still should have completed the divestment by December 6, even accounting for the merger between Republic and Mesa Air Group that closed on November 25.
A Transportation Department lawyer told the Office of Government Ethics that Bedford had been unable to complete the sale due to significant professional and personal demands, a justification the ethics office rejected. The FAA declined to comment, and Bedford said he would address the matter at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday. Committee Chair Senator Ted Cruz did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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