Christie ally guilty, squeezed airline for route to 2nd home

NEWARK, N.J. -- The former chairman of the agency that controls New York City-area airports conspired with a United Airlines lobbyist to use his post to get the airline to run direct flights to South Carolina so he could visit his vacation home more easily, officials said Thursday.

David Samson, a political mentor to Republican Gov. Chris Christie, pleaded guilty to a corruption charge he wrongfully used his Port Authority of New York and New Jersey post.

The ex-lobbyist, Jamie Fox, then was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said.

United didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday's news, but Fishman announced the company would pay a $2.25 million fine for the role its officials played in the scheme.

Former United CEO Jeff Smisek and two government-relations executives left the airline last year after United conducted its own investigation.

None of them has been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

Samson admitted he conspired with Fox to pressure United to reinstate the "chairman's flight" to Columbia, not far from his vacation home in Aiken, by removing from a board agenda discussion of a hangar United wanted at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Prosecutors will recommend Samson get a sentence of probation to 24 months behind bars under an agreement.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 20. His attorney, Michael Chertoff, said he wouldn't have any comment until then.

Samson left the courthouse after posting $100,000 bond and surrendering his passport.

After leaving his job with United, Fox was appointed the state's transportation commissioner by Christie.