Samson Gets Grounded For United Airlines Shakedown

David Samson

David Samson, the former Chairman of the Port Authority of NY/NJ and a former New Jersey Attorney General was sentenced to one year of home confinement, four years probation and fined $100,000 for using his official authority to pressure the parent company of United Airlines Inc to institute a non-stop flight from Newark to South Carolina so that he could visit his second home on weekends.

Samson pleaded guilty to one count of bribery last year. The sentence was imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court.

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Former NJ DOT Commissioner Jamie Fox Charged in Samson’s United Airlines Bribery Scheme

Former New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox was charged by federal officials for his role in the bribery scheme that former Port Authority Chairman David Samson pleaded guilty to today, according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

Additionally, United Airlines has agreed to a pay a $2.5 million penalty and to make compliance reforms for its role in the scheme in which it established a non-stop route between Newark-Liberty Airport and Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina for Samson to fly to his vacation home in Aiken, SC.  In exchange Samson allowed the Port Authority Commission to approve a lease of three acres at the airport for United to build a maintenance hanger.

Fox, in his role as a $7,500 per month consultant to United, is accused of shaking down United employees, on Samson’s behalf, to get the route to South Carolina established.

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David Samson, close confidant of Christie, pleads guilty in airline shakedown

NEWARK–David Samson–the embattled former chairman of the powerful Port Authority of New York and New Jersey–pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to using his considerable clout to coerce one of the nation’s largest airlines to accommodate his desire for a regularly scheduled, non-stop flight to a South Carolina summer home. Samson, 76, a well-connected lawyer and one-time New… Read the rest of this entry »

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Report: Samson to plead guilty to federal charges related to “Chairman’s flight”

David Samson

Former Port Authority of NY/NJ and former New Jersey Attorney General David Samson will plead guilty to a federal felony related to the United Airlines route from Newark Airport to Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, which is about 50 miles from Mr. Samson’s vacation home, according to a report by Ken Kurson for The Observer.

The route, which is alleged to have often been empty and money losing, was established while Samson was Chairman of the Port Authority and discontinued within days of Samson’s resignation in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal.  The September 2013 George Washington Bridge closure at the center of the Bridgegate matter occurred while Samson was Chairman.  As Chairman of the Port Authority, Samson oversaw United’s relationship with the authority’s airports.

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United Airlines CEO resigns over Port Authority probe

The chief executive officer and two other senior executives of United Airlines were unexpectedly ousted today — effective immediately — in connection with an ongoing federal probe into the airline’s dealings with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Jeff Smisek stepped down from his roles as chairman, president and chief executive officer of… Read the rest of this entry »

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Company hired by Christie to run N.J. lottery misses revenue goal by $64M

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PA chairman’s United flights add to the twists and turns of a wide-ranging investigation

TRENTON — In a story that has been told only by the slow-drip disclosure of subpoenas, the ongoing investigation into the George Washington Bridge scandal that has engulfed the Christie administration and some of his closest advisers continues to grow. In the latest revelations, United Airlines confirmed today that it has been asked to turn over… Read the rest of this entry »

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Former Port Authority chairman Samson tries to head off ethics probe

TRENTON — David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking to head off a state ethics probe of his work at the bi-state agency. Samson and his law firm sued the New Jersey State Ethics Commission in U.S. District Court, claiming it does… Read the rest of this entry »

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Report: Christie is U.S. Attorney’s target

MMM photo/Art Gallagher

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman is leaning on former Port Authority officials David Samson, Bill Baroni and David Wildstein and Charles McKenna, Governor Chris Christie’s former Chief Counsel, to”filp” on Christie, according to a report published on Esquire today.

Esquire’s two anonymous sources “with intimate knowledge” of Fishman’s investigation into “Bridgegate” said that Samson, Baroni and Wildstein each face “near-certain” indictment.

Esquire says that Baroni and Wildstein have implicated Samson and that “if Sampson doesn’t give Fishman Christie, Sampson is toast.”

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N.J. federal prosecutors subpoena records related to Port Authority Chairman David Samson, report says

N.J. federal prosecutors subpoena records related to Port Authority Chairman David Samson, report says (via NJ.com)

Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed information related to Port Authority Chairman David Samson potentially being involved in conflicts of interests that stem from the agency awarding public contracts to construction companies represented by Samson’…

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