11Alive: Airport GM finalist likes to fly — in a Porsche
11Alive has posted the following on its web site:
An Indianapolis TV news station is reporting that a finalist for general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was arrested for reckless driving while on city business in February.
WHTR-TV reported Tuesday that Indianapolis Airport Authority CEO John D. Clark III was arrested in Florida for driving at speeds of up to 135 mph in his Porsche 911 after attending the Super Bowl in Miami [in February of this year].
The Indianapolis airport authority paid for the trip, the station reported.
Here’s a mention of the incident from the Indianapolis Star newspaper.
My AJC colleague Kelly Yamanouchi has obtained this statement from Alex M. Azar II, member of the Indianapolis Airport Authority Board and chairman of its human resource committee:
“As it relates to the speeding ticket John received several months ago in Florida, he kept the board fully aware of the incident. When the matter was resolved with a fine paid to the local jurisdiction in Florida, John advised the board of the final outcome, at which time he apologized for his actions and the resulting distraction to the organization.
“He was not convicted of reckless driving nor on airport authority business at the time. The airport authority’s business for the day had been concluded several hours prior, immediately following the Super Bowl game. John was in his personal car and on his own time.
“Because of his forthrightness with us and because of our confidence in him, we have no plans to investigate the matter further and John remains in our complete confidence.”
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102 comments Add your comment
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
September 8th, 2010
9:40 am
We should rehire Angela Gittens if she’ll take her job back.
T
September 8th, 2010
9:53 am
REALLY???? Someone was paid to dig and report/post this useless information.
Kegger
September 8th, 2010
9:56 am
Sounds like he will fit right into Atlanta politics
Jen
September 8th, 2010
9:57 am
Can this guy fly a plane? If so maybe more flights would be on-time.
Or I Could Have Written
September 8th, 2010
9:57 am
Clark was given a speeding ticket six months ago. Yellow journalism at it worse
Badnews!
September 8th, 2010
9:58 am
He is the perfect candidate for the job, he should feel right at home!
Pago Flyer
September 8th, 2010
9:59 am
So you people don’t care about this guys background? Strange….
Buy American!
September 8th, 2010
10:02 am
That’s what he get for driving German junk; had he been driving an American Muscle car, never would have gotten caught. Could he not drive any faster than that!
Prez Obozo
September 8th, 2010
10:05 am
Why is it every time Atlanta looks for a canadate for anything they always choose thugs???
Yeldar
September 8th, 2010
10:16 am
This bad? So what? Why does this disqualify him? Cool.
If he can afford a Porsche
September 8th, 2010
10:16 am
Will he or won’t he be another DeCosta if he gets the job? Probably need those kickbacks to pay for the gas and maintenance on the car.
Ralph
September 8th, 2010
10:17 am
Gee, no comment from the “Insider” on the Georgia Democratic party opposing in State court showing a valid picture ID to vote? I wonder why they (and of course the AJC) don’t like that law that has been validated by the Federal court?
Hartsfield = New Orleans City Government of Airports
September 8th, 2010
10:17 am
The final candidate will inevitably be just another left-winger with more of a priority of “keeping it real” than having any business intelligence. (see also: The “Leadership” of Pre-Katrina New Orleans)
Jim
September 8th, 2010
10:26 am
This shows that the candidate is reckless and irresponsible. Someone controling millions if not billions of dollars should be responsible at work and at home. There are many choices, lets take the best, not the darkest one.
Hecter the Injector
September 8th, 2010
10:37 am
Keep it up people and we will be treated just like the POS this city really is.
Cliff
September 8th, 2010
10:39 am
I am not as concerned about his speeding as I am about taking a trip to the Super Bowl paid for by the airport authority. Sounds like he is just another hog looking for a bigger trough to swill from.
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
September 8th, 2010
10:46 am
Why, given the mayoral corruption which fired her, and for which Atlanta has recently had to pay damages to Corey with her truthful testimony, would not all Atlantans want her back: a proven, righteous, highly competent airport manager, universally lauded in her profession?
Jenny Lee
September 8th, 2010
10:53 am
sounds like he can run a few laps round atlanta motor speedway since there is only one race a year, now.
Skram30082
September 8th, 2010
10:54 am
Will Jones –
I agree 100%. Losing Angela Gittens was a big mistake, but she probably wouldn’t want to return to ATL. And who could blame her?
CHARLES
September 8th, 2010
10:55 am
OK, SO WHAT
Jim
September 8th, 2010
11:02 am
Or I could have written…who is Clark?
The guy probably got lost down in Miami and he was only trying to get away from the THUGS who roam the streets in Miami – you know, like they do here in Atlanta!
Mitzymy
September 8th, 2010
11:03 am
Mr. Clark has done wonders for Indianapolis. They have built a new state of the art airport, and all of the stores inside are occupied. The new airport is farther out of the city, and there is talk of developing the vacant land to make new jobs. Hotels are going up,new resturants, shopping malls. The Star always digs up the past of any name that comes up. The city does not want to lose him and they hope that if ATL finds anything out about him that shows he is not perfect, he will stay in Indy. This happened 7 months ago and was never reported until they found out he had applied for the job in ATL.
Get A Life
September 8th, 2010
11:03 am
Every arrest is not newsworthy. Every violation of a law does not disqualify you for a job. People need to get a life. Live and let live. He was speeding which the officer decided to make a reckless driving charge. Who cares. It happened 6 months ago in Florida. Who dug this up and why is beyond me. @ Pago Flyer people care about his background but do not care that he was speeding. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Oh that only applies if the stone is not being cast at you.
An American Patriot
September 8th, 2010
11:05 am
Yeah, he sounds just like the kind of candidate the city of atlanta would hire…….just so he’s black, it doesn’t make any difference what he did or what he has done
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
September 8th, 2010
11:06 am
Skram – We didn’t “lose” her. She was fired for not doing “kickbacks” Mafia-Newark airport manager DeCosta was willing to, by Campbell who went on to do Federal “time.” It would be a healing to get her back. Though she is on Miami’s board, probably among others, I believe she may yet live in this best town in the world. Who knows the “right people” to make it happen?
Cedric
September 8th, 2010
11:07 am
Any combination Christ, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Smith, Gandhi, Prophet, etc. would never be enough. Don’t fill the position. Need to fire all elected and appointed officials due to their flaws too.
Look before I leap...
September 8th, 2010
11:09 am
How many “finalists” are there for the GM spot at Hartsfield?
If more than one and they are equally qualified, why not use this incident as a scale tipper?
Here is what Mr Clark failed to consider when flooring the pedal on his Porsche:
135 MPH is a whole lot different from doing 70 in a 55 zone
No stretch of highway in the US is designed for automobiles to travel at that speed.
The other drivers on the highway are not trained to react to vehicles travelling that fast.
It is fairly likely that Mr Clark is not trained to operate a vehicle at that speed.
The distance to stop a car going that fast is well over the length of 2 football fields.
The kinetic energy for a vehicle weighing that much travelling at that speed is roughly the same as a couple of pounds of TNT exploding.
I think I’d take a pass on this guy.
Airstarr1
September 8th, 2010
11:10 am
Should join the crowd on I-85/75/285. He will feel right at home.
Maybe he can get things going here in ATL as well.
WE have lost our way
September 8th, 2010
11:11 am
Maybe he can bring NASCAR back to Atlanta raceway.Not to far from the airport.
borat
September 8th, 2010
11:14 am
If he is black he will will get the job no matter what he did in his past.
Really?
September 8th, 2010
11:16 am
Busted? It’s not that deep.
The General
September 8th, 2010
11:23 am
@ Will Jones
Regarding getting Angela Gittens back, one of the few times I agree with you 100% Good call.
CmdrR
September 8th, 2010
11:28 am
The point here is that the man went to the SuperBowl on the public dime and then floored the accelerator in a Porsche that costs more than you or I will make this year. This brief snippet of news seems to scream for an article on what Atlanta is doing to hold down the cost of its over-paid department heads. And if they’re not overpaid, then somebody tell me they’re satisfied with the 6-figure work turned in by MARTA officials, recent police chiefs and school board heads?? BTW, this is not about race, but it is about abuse of privilege, which in Atlanta has definitely been known to use the race card as a defense. AJC: Keep digging. Demand smaller paychecks for better quality work. The airport is a cesspool of corruption and has been virtually since it opened. SICK ‘EM!
BKK32
September 8th, 2010
11:29 am
Got that “t” moving because of the superbowl and had to go fast. Happens to all males.
Truth Seeker
September 8th, 2010
11:31 am
If 99% of the population can restrain themselves from driving at speeds of 135 mph and breaking the law, why must the City insist upon including, among all the population, a candidate who CAN’T restrain himself? Self-restraint= self-discipline=better ethics. The guy may be a great person, but for a top position he should be thrown out with the bathwater.
JOANN
September 8th, 2010
11:33 am
DID HE PAY A FINE? OR WAS HE GIVEN SPECIAL CARE LIKE THE OTHER BIG NAME PEOPLE?
Airport GM finalist busted | Dolphin Motorsports
September 8th, 2010
11:35 am
[...] Airport GM finalist busted WHTR-TV reported Tuesday tһаt Indianapolis Airport Authority CEO John D. Clark III wаѕ arrested іח Florida fοr driving аt speeds οf up tο 135 mph іח һіѕ Porsche 911 аftеr attending tһе Super Bowl іח Miami οח Feb. Search fοr “porsche” [...]
Gov. Elect Bobby Kahn
September 8th, 2010
11:40 am
Provided he makes the minimum required 10,000 donation to King Roy, we’ll let him have the job.
Atlantarama
September 8th, 2010
11:49 am
I agree about trying to rehire Angela Gittens. I know she had a great record, and the airport seemed to run best before DeCosta took over. I don’t understand why she was fired in the first place
Dale Hartsfield
September 8th, 2010
11:51 am
The airport was originally named for William B. Hartsfield, a distant relative. As a Hartsfield…I should be a canidate. HA! Makes as much sense as anything our Goverenment does these days. The City of Atlanta owns the airport. Are they doing a good Job with the management of it? Sounds like the same ol corruption in most all Goverenment scandals of the day. Most Government appointed and elected officials tend to think they are above the law.
Joker
September 8th, 2010
11:51 am
Yea, I think the best part about atlanta is the way there is absolutely no discrimination on when/where you will be panhandled by bums…..GSU football game? Bums. Braves game? Bums. Going to class @ GSU? Bums. Paying your ticket at the courthouse? Bums. Want to look around at underground? Bums. GT football/basketball game? Bums. Need to take Marta for a convention? Bums. Need to go to work at Grady? Bums. Running for GM of Hartsfield? Bums.
Guy Incognito
September 8th, 2010
11:52 am
Porsche…….there is no substitute.
However, there is a sub for a person who demonstrates that he has a lack of Pre-Frontal Cortex activity. That’s the part of the brain that says, “Hey this is really stupid considering the potential consequences.”
Bill Campbell
September 8th, 2010
11:52 am
“Years ago, I put in place a system of corruption to benefit my dirty politician brothehood and organizaed labor criminal syndicate and I fully endorse this nomination for the airport CEO position. As elected officials, we are above the law and the public only exists to serve us!” — Bil Campbell
David Granger
September 8th, 2010
11:55 am
We had Angela Gittens here at one time, who is only the most efficient and respected airport GM in the entire world. But she was scrupulously honest, so naturally Bill Campbell had to fire her at the earliest opportunity.
Atl Mayor
September 8th, 2010
11:55 am
Atlanta should start its screening of candidates for high power positionsf or Georgia Government at the ATL federal jail.
Ringleader
September 8th, 2010
11:59 am
He needs to have his Porsche checked out. 135 is sub-par and well below the standards for this vehicle. It should do 185 and I wonder if it was a typo on the speed. There is an excellent shop at Bruno’s in Jacksonville which can fix it. I would never trust the guys at Hennesy or Ellis in Atlanta. But Porsche does have a factory rep in Atlanta who would check it out if he gets the job.
bart
September 8th, 2010
11:59 am
I agree. Get Gittens back. Why wasn’t she considered before? Probably too honest and ethical.
Dekalb traveler
September 8th, 2010
12:09 pm
He put the lives of everyone on the road at that time at risk; that reflects on his character. Does ATL need another person of questionable character in a high position? I agree that Angela Gittens should never have been pushed aside. She was a highly qualified and classy lady.
DK
September 8th, 2010
12:09 pm
Jim Said, “This shows that the candidate is reckless and irresponsible. Someone [controlling] millions if not billions of dollars should be responsible at work and at home.”
Jim, while I agree with that in an absolute sense, where do we draw the line? Do we disqualify anyone who’s received a speeding ticket or had a misdemeanor?
While we’re talking about accountability, who watches those of you who use the rights and power of the press to act as watchdogs and keep us informed about the actions of our government and our public servants?
Can’t we extend your logic a little further and agree that exercising the rights of the press should also come with increased responsibility and scrutiny? Why don’t we see such stories concerning perspective reporters who are in line for such a responsible job as being a reporter for a major news outlet? Why aren’t their darkest secrets dragged out into the open and made public for all of us to see (foxes guarding the henhouse)?
I personally think we need look no further than this person’s track record as the manager of a major airport to determine his fitness for this job. At worst I’d say this means that he should be assigned a driver should the job periodically require him to travel by car.
Gail
September 8th, 2010
12:14 pm
I too agree that Angela Gittens is who we need. But she probably doesn’t want to come back.