May 8 (Bloomberg) — An Obama administration aide who authorized a low-altitude flight over New York City by a plane used as Air Force One has resigned over the incident.
“The controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group’s aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible for me to effectively lead the White House Military Office,” Louis Caldera wrote in his resignation letter, which was released by the administration.
The public wasn’t given any advance notice of the April 27 flyover, which involved a VC-25 — the military version of Boeing Co.’s 747 — that is used to transport the president and two fighter jet escorts. The flight over New York Harbor rattled windows and prompted some office workers to flee high-rises out of fear it was a repeat of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Aides described President Barack Obama as angry about it, and members of Congress demanded an accounting.
Separate reviews by Obama’s deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, and Defense Department officials found that Air Force planning for the mission began in late March and that the Federal Aviation Administration, New York air traffic control officials, law enforcement officials in New York and New Jersey and the New York City mayor’s office were part of the coordination.
via Obama Aide Who Authorized Air Force One Flight Quits (Update2) – Bloomberg.com.
