JUDICIAL WATCH: Persistent misconduct by managers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) often goes unpunished and whistleblowers who report it as well as airport safety risks are penalized by senior officials, a bipartisan congressional investigation has concluded. The multi-billion-dollar government agency created after 9/11 to secure the nation’s transportation system operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and has around 65,000 employees. For nearly a decade Judicial Watch has reported extensively—and uncovered records—about its serious transgressions and failure to adequately fulfill its mission. The TSA is charged with securing transportation by adequately screening luggage, passengers and properly vetting foreign flight students. Instead, the agency is best known for its shameful security lapses and efforts to cover them up. In this case, DHS obstructed the federal probe by withholding documents and information from Congress.
For the last three years a probe led by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has primarily focused on retaliation against TSA whistleblowers who report malfeasance within the ranks or security lapses. Among the preferred methods of punishment are cumbersome reassignments up to thousands of miles from home. Earlier this year three TSA supervisors punished with relocation after exposing airport safety risks received compensatory damages and two were allowed to return to their original location. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the agency charged with protecting federal employees from retribution for whistleblowing, represented the supervisors who worked as deputy federal security directors in Hawaii before getting shipped off to California and Washington State. The TSA supervisors had reported mismanagement and distressingly lax airport security protocols. MORE HERE
The mission of TSA is to make us feel safe. Not to make us safe, and years of tests have proven that they do little, if any, to prevent terrorism – no, just to make us feel safe.
They aren’t very good at it. And an incredible waste of money.
I never liked GWB after the Patriot act proved to be a huge detriment to the citizens TSA is just another waste of tax money another FU to the U.S. citizens.
I still don’t understand why bomb-sniffing German shepherds aren’t everywhere in our airports. Screw Muslim sensibilities.
I’m glad that I’m not required to travel by air for work. I haven’t flown commercial in years because of the shabby treatment and will continue not to. Screw them all.
If I have to fly, I don’t want to know about it until an hour before the flight takes off. Just knowledge that I am going to have to deal with almost anything connected to the airline experience is enough to make me miserable. I absolutely hate the thought of it.
A bit ago, I had to fly, alone, to visit my brother, for a weekend. While there, in a junk store I bought a 1950’s collapsible umbrella, a long junk necklace and a small double boiler.
I also lost my wallet and ID.
Going home, I explained all to the TSA, as instructed by the police.
Did I have a library card, they asked. Nope.
They ransacked my cloth carry on, with my underwear, the double boiler, the umbrella, etc.
When they were finished, finally, they agreed to let me board. I walked to the gate, sat down and, down the long hallway watched a TSA guard, armed with two dogs headed my way for sniffing….? Around and around they went. ….smile….
Actually, it was funny. ….Lady in Red