PORTLAND, Maine - A federal judge has dismissed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Portland International Jetport, by a white, American-born taxicab driver.
Paul McDonough claimed he was being discriminated against by being denied one of 43 permits to work as part of the Jetport's taxi pool.
All of those permits are held by Somali or Iranian immigrants - in his suit, McDonough said the system has created a -quote- "racial monopoly."
But judge Jon D. Levy ruled that McDonough didn't have standing to file the case -- because he admitted there was a good chance he wouldn't actually want the permit were it to be granted.
Paul Bradbury is director of the jetport; he says the situation really isn't about race. "From our perspective there was nothing to do with race here; it was simply those individuals who were grandfathered at the point when the permit system was closed."
Bradbury says that prior to 2013, the airport had so many cabs that it wasn't a very profitable run for taxi drivers, but for immigrants who might not be established in the business it was more appealing.
When the city reduced the number of permits, the airport run became more profitable; but all the permits were given to people who already held them - and they were all Somali or Iranian immigrants.
McDonough was represented by attorney Heidi Hart; we weren't able to reach her for comment by airtime.
