Links between Shuster, Staff, A4A Come Under Spotlight

Close ties between House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), the staff surrounding him and the Airlines for America (A4A) have raised questions about the industry's level of influence as the lawmaker drafted the controversial proposal to carve out the nation’s air traffic control association from the FAA.

The political insider publication Politico last year traced several of those ties, including the fact that Shuster had been dating one of A4A’s chief lobbyists, v-p of global government affairs Shelley Rubino. In addition, Christine Burgeson, senior v-p of government relations at A4A, is married to Eric Burgeson, Shuster’s personal office chief of staff; and Chris Brown, former A4A vice president for legislative and regulatory policy, was hired as staff director on the T&I Committee’s aviation subcommittee. Beyond the more formal ties, the head of A4A is said to be a long-time close personal friend of Shuster’s. The publication highlighted the relationships once again this week in an article tracing a recent trip that Shuster, Rubino and Calio took to a fundraiser for House transportation appropriations subcommittee chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) in Miami Beach.

A4A released a statement about the trip, saying, “As we have noted previously, Mr. Calio and Mr. Shuster have known each other for decades, and Mr. Calio frequently attends Republican (and Democratic) fundraising trips, and it is not unusual that they would be at the same work-related political event.”

The association added that it has been “very clear in our support of the need to fundamentally transform the air traffic control organization” and that “Chairman Shuster has been a leader on driving change as part of the FAA reauthorization process, for the good of the economy and the traveling and shipping public, not for any one entity, and to suggest otherwise is highly inappropriate.”

Shuster’s office previously released a statement to Politico that his office “has in place a policy that deals with personal relationships that cover my staff and myself. This was created in consultation with legal counsel and goes further than is required by the law. Under that policy, Ms. Rubino doesn’t lobby my office, including myself and my staff.” The committee did not say anything further to AIN on the matter, pointing only to statements previously made.