Reid Aide Emerges as a Candidate for FAA

Christopher Conkey reports on the FAA. Robert Herbert , an aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , has emerged as a candidate to be President-elect Barack Obama ’s pick to run the Federal Aviation Administration, according to people familiar with the matter. In Washington, Herbert is director of appropriations and senior policy adviser on transportation, military and veterans affairs to Reid, and before that had run Reid’s Las Vegas office. In Nevada, Herbert serves as deputy commander of the Nevada Army National Guard, reporting to commander Frank Gonzales , a brigadier general. Herbert, 51 years old, was previously director of aviation at the Nevada Army National Guard, where he oversaw a staff of roughly 250 and a budget of about $750 million, according to Gonzales. The Nevada Army National Guard is involved in overseas deployments as well as domestic missions such as firefighting and search-and-rescue operations. “The positive part about Bob has always been ... (link)