Allen calls for airports director Martire to step down

Republican U.S. Senate candidate George Allen again stepped into the storm of controversy regarding the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, calling for Democratic opponent Tim Kaine to ask his appointee to the airports board to step down and drop his lawsuit against Virginia.

Dennis Martire was removed from the MWAA board earlier this year by Gov. Bob McDonnell, who cited Martire’s well-publicized and expensive trips around the world on the authority’s dime, as well as a potential conflict of interest with his work as a union executive. But Martire is fighting the ouster in court, saying the governor’s action politicized the board. The airports authority has yet to decide how much they will pay for his legal bills.