Updated: June 19, 12:15 p.m.

On June 18, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority filed a lawsuit in the Fairfax County Circuit Court to “resolve competing claims” of Dennis Martire and Caren Merrick, McDonnell’s new appointee, to the MWAA board.

“The Airports Authority believes it is necessary for the claims to be reviewed and decided, based on applicable law, by a court,” reads a statement from MWAA. “The Airports Authority will immediately comply with whatever decision the Circuit Court reaches on these competing claims to the Board position.”

If the removal of Martire is upheld, Loudoun County would be without a representative on the authority’s board.

Original story: June 15

Gov. Bob McDonnell on Thursday put into motion what’s shaping up to be a fervent political duel with Loudoun County resident and labor union leader Dennis Martire.

The governor announced his intent to remove Martire from the controversial Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Board of Directors, but the Ashburn resident quickly responded with a lawsuit against McDonnell to block his removal.

Martire, vice-president and regional manager for Laborers International Union’s Mid-Atlantic region, has been the target of criticism in recent months. An interim federal audit of the MWAA board’s practices in May revealed he spent $9,000-plus for a trip to Prague for a conference.

While Martire isn’t the only member of the board that has taken lavish, expensive trips using MWAA funds, he’s been singled out by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10) and McDonnell, as well as the Washington Post, which detailed Martire’s questionable expenditures in an editorial.

The federal audit concluded “MWAA’s policies and procedures related to financial disclosures, travel, and transparency are insufficient to ensure fiduciary and ethical responsibility in the Board’s expenses and activities.”

Jeff Caldwell, a spokesman for the governor’s office, in a statement said the governor exercised his authority under state and federal law to remove Martire “for cause.”

“The governor determined that recently well-publicized issues regarding individual decisions made by Mr. Martire as a board member involving taxpayer dollars, coupled with his continued reluctance to improve the transparency of his actions, has diminished public confidence in his ability to effectively serve on this critically important board,” Caldwell said.

Martire has served on the authority board since April 2008. He was appointed by former Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat.

In a letter Thursday to McDonnell’s chief of staff, Martire said he “never violated any rules,” and his behavior “was consistent with that of other Board and staff members.”

“I do not believe that there is cause for my removal from the Board, and I ask that the Governor reconsider his course of action,” Martire said. “The Governor and I disagree on labor issues, but political disagreement is not sufficient cause for removal.”

MWAA, an independent public body corporate and politic, continues to be closely watched by anti-union observers. The authority is charged with overseeing the $5.6 billion Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. As currently planned, Phase Two of the project will extend Metro’s Silver Line to the Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County. The Loudoun Board of Supervisors, while still officially in the project as a funding partner, are considering opting out. The board has until July 4 to make a decision.

MWAA spokesperson Kimberly Gibbs issued a statement calling McDonnell’s act unprecedented.

“Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell [on Thursday] notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that he has removed Board member Dennis Martire,” said Gibbs. “The removal of a sitting Board member whose term has not expired is an unprecedented act. The Board and Senior staff will review the Governor’s letter and consult with legal counsel before responding to the governor’s action.

“There is nothing more important to the region than the timely completion of the Dulles rail project. The recent resolution of the PLA issue has created an opportunity to accelerate momentum on this critical infrastructure system. Local, state and federal officials must continue to work together in a spirit of cooperation in order to complete this project as quickly and cost effectively as possible,” Gibbs concluded.

In a letter to the editor published in the Times-Mirror in May, Martire railed against McDonnell’s transportation policies.

“Between potholes and too-narrow roads choked with traffic, Virginians’ cars and wallets will suffer during this summer travel season as a result of Governor Robert F. McDonnell failure to pass adequate transportation funding,” Martire wrote. “The result: Virginia has no plan to complete vital repairs and improvements to the state’s crumbling infrastructure. Instead, thousands of Virginia residents will pay for this failed leadership through longer travel times, rougher roads, and higher overall transportation costs this summer and beyond.”