This really has nothing to do with AA, but rather the FAA. It's funny how some days the ATC union exaggerates incidents and accidents so that they can claim the need for more controllers/less work, and then some days they claim there aren't any incidents or accidents so that they don't look incompetent.

In this case, looks like the latter (retribution from a co-worker who didn't want ATC to look bad). But the dichotomy has always amused me. They need to pick one story and stick to it!