He had no choice but to resign. I hope he gets the same treatment in court that you or I would.
Seems like a 'yes vote' for both of your statements:
Drunk driving charges dismissed against former FAA chief Randy Babbitt
By Justin Jouvenal, Updated: Thursday, May 10, 3:04 PM
Drunk driving charges were dismissed Thursday against former FAA chief J. Randolph Babbitt after a judge ruled that a Fairfax City police officer pulled him over without good reason in December.
It was a dramatic end for a case
that led to the resignation of the nation’s top aviation official after a distinguished career in Washington and 25 years as a pilot with Eastern Airlines.
Fairfax City General District Court Judge Ian O’Flaherty ended the trial soon after it began, saying the officer had pulled Babbitt over on a “mere hunch” after video of the traffic stop was played in court.
The video showed Babbitt making a routine left-hand turn into a Fairfax City business complex from the southbound lane of Old Lee Highway. In the process, Babbitt crossed double yellow lines and a northbound lane, but did not drive on the wrong side of the road as Fairfax City Officer Mike Morris alleged in his criminal complaint.
Defense Attorney Peter Greenspun also said that the first breath test given to Babbitt showed he had a blood alcohol level of .07, below Virginia’s legal limit of .08. A prosecutor said later tests showed he exceeded the legal limit, but the case was dismissed before the evidence could be presented.
“I’m happy to have it behind me,” Babbitt said afterward. “Candidly, it’s been a tough time.”
In his opening statement, Greenspun said Babbitt was attending a dinner party in Fairfax City the night of Dec. 3. Babbitt had two and a half to three glasses of wine between 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Greenspun said. In all, the seven guests drank less than three bottles of wine, and there were no signs that Babbitt was impaired, Greenspun said.
Babbitt, 65, a Reston resident, left the party and turned on his GPS to navigate home, but was headed the wrong way when he made the left turn on Old Lee Highway. Morris pulled him over after he turned into the driveway of the business complex about 10:30 p.m., the officer testified.
After the arrest, Babbitt, who was appointed by President Obama in 2009, was placed on administrative leave. Days later he resigned.
In a written statement after his resignation, Babbitt said his work as FAA administrator was an “absolute honor” and said he was “unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done . . . by my colleagues.”
Babbitt said Thursday that he was not sorry he had resigned and said he had no ill will against the officer who had arrested him. Babbitt said he planned to work in aviation consulting.
“There was no criminal activity from start to finish,” Greenspun said after the trial. “Tragically for Mr. Babbitt, [the case] became very public.”
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