The Driving While Intoxicated case that led to Randy Babbitt’s abrupt resignation as the FAA’s leader has been dismissed, according to a report at AOPA.org. Babbitt told reporters he bears no ill will against the police officer who arrested him for driving while intoxicated in December, after a Fairfax, Va., judge ruled May 10 that the traffic stop was made on a “mere hunch,” and without just cause.
Guess there’s a lot of truth in the old saying,”It’s WHO you know”!
Truth is he did nothing illegal and that’s what the court ruled on. Â It sounds like Washington politics to me. Â And we lost a real advocate for general aviation in the process.
Anyone else in this situation would have been guilty, The head of the FAA…Humm Judge rules in his favor.
I wasn’t aware a “hunch” wasn’t a valid reason to pull someone over. I think the “rights” issue is a bit overblown. If you don’t want to get pulled over don’t violate the law. Seems simple to me – and the way it ought to be.
Except that he was only guilty of failing to use traffic signals. Â Just like the rest of the drivers out there. Â At the end of the day, Babbitt is probably much happier out of Washingtoon and back in private practice. Â And we lose a GA advocate in a position to do something for us.