Originally Posted by
midwestpilot
When I took my CFI checkride with Puehler he was an ASI for the FAA, not a DPE. At the time, only the FAA was allowed to do CFI checkrides, DPE's could not. I'm pretty annoyed about having to do another checkride after earning my CFII and Gold Seal.
Myself, and everyone I've talked to that's known Puehler highly doubts he ever collected a fee or took a bribe. That is completely out of his character, I don't know where that rumor started but I highly doubt that it's accurate.
I didn't see any rumor about him having collected a fee or taken a bribe. Where did you see this? If you are talking about things said in this thread - the ASI who took payments for checkrides was a different person. From the letter that was sent out (read the letter template being sent to pilots affected by the letter) the most likely cause this recheck on his part was accomplishing the necessary items on a checkride;
'...issued certificates and/or ratings to airmen when the airmen did not demonstrate the qualifications to hold the certificate and/or rating for which they were tested.'