DFW VP Quits Amid Investigation Of Congresswoman's Scholarships
DFW AIRPORT (CBSDFW.com) - A DFW International Airport vice-president quit Thursday morning amid an investigation into a college scholarship his daughter received from Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
Don O'Bannon told me he submitted his resignation earlier this morning.
During a phone interview, O'Bannon said, "I'm just tired, and I feel it's better to move on." He declined an on-camera interview.
The airport placed O'Bannon on paid leave last October and hired former U.S. Attorney Richard Roper to look into the scholarship and determine if any airport policies were violated.
No word from the airport yet if Roper has concluded his investigation. Roper also declined to comment for this story, and referred us to the airport.
This morning O'Bannon wouldn't say if he has been cleared by the airport in that investigation.
But his ex-wife told us last October that O'Bannon had nothing do with their daughter receiving the scholarship whatsoever.
O'Bannon oversaw the airport's contracts with minority and women-owned businesses.
Congresswoman Johnson has financial ties to two newsstands at DFW.
The Congresswoman faced scrutiny last year after the Dallas Morning News reported she improperly awarded scholarships from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to family members and to her aides' children.
Johnson repaid the Foundation.
O'Bannon has been an airport vice-president for eight and a half years.
He says he has a lot of leads in pursuing a new job, but says, "I'm proud of my track record at DFW. I created a national model for minority participation, one that has been recognized by the FAA."
DFW airport has not commented on O'Bannon's resignation yet.
