I don't understand why this individual is debated about here? What he did ask for the FAA during his Boeing days (likely by higher request) got approved by the FAA. So it's some FAA topic.
With his career it's no surprise that he is well connected with big MAX customers and works for one of them now. So what? No reason to put him in the crosshairs.
The FAA did not initiate the problem, Boeing did, and it was that individual who did it.
It is up to the DOJ to ascertain how much Boeing knew, and how much they hid, and who hid it.
It is a criminal investigation. The DOJ is fact finding. That is why it matters.
Claiming the 5th on document production????? Boeing has already given the DOJ the documents, and this guy refused under self-incrimination rules??? Won the documents be the same?
As far as technical pilots, that is not an issue, Boeing hires grads out of UND and calls them tech pilots...We can see from the quals, that Boeing wanted a person with certification and documentation experience, not flight experience. You can make your own judgment on the validity of that coupled with Boeing perception of the cert of the MAX program
For me personally, it is an issue when someone was an instructor, and claims to have combat experience.
We really dont have to debate it here, the press is on this...