I love stories like these. A congressman picks an easy mark–airport screeners–and cites a couple of examples of ill-minded behavior to make the claim that DHS is “unwilling or unable to rein in its agents.” What an incredibly fatuous remark. If a few examples of stupidity indicates a problem with an agency that numbers in the tens of thousands, what does the behavior of, say, Charlie Rangel or Tom DeLay say about Congress, which numbers in the hundreds?
By Joe Davidson
Even as we appreciate the need for airport screening, many of us have had our frustrations after waiting in a long line to pass through security before getting on with a trip. We take off our coats and our shoes and our belts, only to have the metal detector oink at us because of the foil around our breath mints.
The transportation security officers are just doing their duty to protect us, we understand that. But on occasion, some of them apparently go too far.
In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.), the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, complained that “innocent travelers” have been subjected “to baseless harassment, intimidation, and situations designed to instill fear and cause public humiliation.”
The letter, sent Tuesday to Secretary Janet Napolitano, said some cases involved “childish practical jokes” by officers or mistreatment of disabled passengers. Each instance, he said, “amounts to an abuse of power and a breach of public trust.”
He noted public apologies by the Transportation Security Administration but said that “the persistent misbehavior indicates that the Homeland Security Department is unwilling or unable to rein in its agents.”
TSA responded that it “has a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior and acts swiftly when proper protocols are not followed. The inappropriate actions of a few individuals in no way reflect on the outstanding work of the more than 50,000 Transportation Security Officers who work tirelessly to keep our skies safe.”
Read more here.
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