Sen. Maria Cantwell says FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford failed to meet a 90-day ethics deadline to sell his Republic Airways shares, leaving an estimated $6–$30 million holding 150 days later. The allegation follows a merger between Republic and Mesa Air Group, which sent Republic’s stock up to $19.02. Cantwell calls the missed divestment a violation of Bedford’s ethics agreement and is demanding a full accounting. The FAA, which has faced scrutiny after a fatal midair collision and multiple system failures, says Bedford will respond to the senator.
Senator Says FAA Chief Missed Ethics Deadline to Sell $6M–$30M Airline Stake After Merger Boost
FILE - Federal Aviation Administration administrator Bryan Bedford looks on as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference on new drone regulations, Aug. 5, 2025, at the Department of Transportation in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Bryan Bedford, has not divested a multimillion-dollar stake in Republic Airways as he pledged in an ethics agreement, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) says in a letter obtained this week.
Cantwell wrote that Bedford promised to sell all of his Republic Airways shares within 90 days of his confirmation, but 150 days have now passed without the divestment. In his financial disclosures, Bedford estimated the value of his Republic holdings at between $6 million and $30 million.
Republic completed a merger last month with Mesa Air Group. Following the merger announcement in April, Republic’s stock roughly doubled; it closed Thursday at $19.02, about twice its pre-announcement price.
“It appears you continue to retain significant equity in this conflicting asset months past the deadline set to fully divest from Republic, which constitutes a clear violation of your ethics agreement. This is unacceptable and demands a full accounting,” Cantwell wrote.
Bedford declined to comment when asked. An FAA spokesperson said the administrator intends to respond directly to Sen. Cantwell.
Why This Matters
The timing of the alleged missed divestiture comes as the FAA faces heightened scrutiny. In January, an airliner collided with an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., killing 67 people — an incident that exposed lapses in FAA oversight and failures to identify numerous prior near-misses around Reagan National Airport.
In the spring, technical failures at an air-traffic control center that routes flights into Newark Liberty International Airport highlighted vulnerabilities in the agency’s aging systems. And in the fall, a chronic shortage of air-traffic controllers contributed to thousands of canceled and delayed flights during the longest government shutdown on record, as more controllers missed work while unpaid.
Bedford has publicly pledged to prioritize safety and accelerate upgrades to the nation’s air-traffic control infrastructure. Congress has authorized $12.5 billion for modernization, and the FAA recently selected the company that will manage the project.
Sen. Cantwell’s letter demands an explanation and a timeline for the promised divestiture, framing the retained shares as a potential conflict of interest that requires immediate clarification from the FAA administrator.
