Congressman’s death raises questions about emergency response and the future of Washington. On its face, it is a story that looks like another tragedy in aviation history. But this time it also has an unusual twist: The congressman who died was traveling on business, not vacationing with his family as most members do when they fly to Seattle from LA.,
Two Strange Facts About The Congressman Who Passed Away On A Flight From LA To Seattle On Friday
on March 19, 2022 by Gary Leff
On Friday evening, Don Young, the 88-year-old House of Representatives’ longest-serving member (49 years!) died while preparing to travel from Los Angeles to Seattle. He was accompanied by his wife, who saw that he had stopped breathing.
One of the strangest aspects of the incident’s coverage, which has dominated the headlines, is that the flight where it occurred has gone unmentioned. (I couldn’t find any viral first-person tales on social media, either.)
- Los Angeles – Seattle is served by Alaska Airlines, Delta, United, and American Airlines.
- Young, on the other hand, had a connecting flight to Alaska, thus flying Alaska Airlines was the most probable option (though Delta also operates the route).
- According to Young’s first Chief of Staff, Alaska Airlines verified the deceased.
The second oddity, possibly even irony in the Alanis Morissette not-really-ironic sense, is that Young was elected to Congress for the first time after his opponent perished in a plane accident.
Young campaigned for Congress against Nick Begich in 1972 and lost, despite the fact that Begich had already deceased. Young was first elected to Congress in 1973, when a special election was called to replace Begich’s seat.
Begich was aboard a Cessna 310 with House Majority Leader Hale Boggs when aircraft vanished en route from Anchorage to Juneau on October 16, 1972. The plane was never found or recovered. According to conspiracy theorists, there was foul play involving either the Tucson mafia or FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Young’s politics were out of date. He applauded President Trump on oil drilling, yet he was a vocal opponent of Trump’s first election (and criticized efforts to overturn the 2020 election). He co-chaired the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and wrote the GRAM Act – Gun Rights and Marijuana – to safeguard marijuana users’ ability to utilize their money.
In addition, the late Congressman is accused of flying first class while his wife flew coach. Perhaps he felt that an upgrade should never be thrown away and should always be utilized by the person who receives it.
On an Alaska Air journey from Seattle to DC, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Don Young in first class. We spoke for 6 hours straight. His wife sat at the back of the bus. https://t.co/NSXslJOqbR
March 19, 2022 — Holly (@hollagolightlee)