Lawmakers lash out at TSA chief John Pistole over airport screening

Susan Walsh

(CBS News) Lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday bashed the Transportation Security Administration chief for being slow to respond to both the changing threats to the air travel system and the changing needs of travelers increasingly frustrated by inconsistent experiences with airport screeners.

"It's palpable. The American people are just really disgusted and outraged with the department that they see as bloated and inefficient," said Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security.

"Progress at TSA has come at a snail's pace and in some ways has gone backwards," Rogers said, adding "the American people need to see immediate changes that impact them."

TSA Administrator John Pistole shot back.

"Chairman Rogers, I would respectfully disagree with your assessment," he said, noting that the agency has made significant progress becoming more efficient and more effective over the last two years.

Pistole noted last month's disruption of an al Qaeda plot to blow up a U.S. bound airliner "highlights the challenges that the men and women of TSA face every day, to keep safe the 1.7 million or so travelers who fly within the US and from the US from the 450 airports, while we strive to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way and we are taking a number of steps to achieve those goals."

The top Democrat on the full committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, called for an independent analysis of the TSA's way of doing business.

"Maybe we ought to have a fresh set of eyes," Thompson told Pistole, noting that the Government Accountability Office has recommended a third party audit of the TSA's performance.

At the same time, Rogers chastised Pistole for not being willing to reduce the size of the TSA workforce.

"I want you to cut out those people that are standing around not doing anything at the airport screening checkpoints," Rogers said.

Pistole said he was not prepared to make any pledges to eliminate jobs as the TSA needs to be able to confidently say it is protecting the flying public.

"I'm not prepared to say a percentage that I'm willing to reduce because I believe the personnel we have currently, again using that part time construct, are necessary to provide the security the American people expect today," he told Rogers.

To which Rogers replied: "you and I both know, everybody in this room knows, you can get by with less folks."

[fisher1949]

In December of 2010 Pistole told Congress that TSA would relax searches of children. He lied.

Last June, Pistole was before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security defending his agency for frisking a six-year-old girl in New Orleans in April 2011. He again swore then that he would implement less stringent searches of children. He lied.

The same week of that testimony TSA made headlines again for demanding that a 95-year-old woman remove her diaper while two other TSA screeners, one in Houston and one in Los Angeles, were arrested for theft from baggage. He swore TSA would implement less stringent searches of the elderly. Again, he lied.

So a year later we have reports that TSA molested three children, a ten year old with a diabetes pump, a four year old who hugged her grandma and a seven year old with cerebral palsy, twice! They also sexually assaulted a Congressman, groped and robbed a 95 year old veteran and his companion and four TSA screeners were arrested for smuggling drugs through LAX. Last week 43 screeners at Ft. Myers were fired or suspended for failing to follow procedures

Last week CBS 3 reported last week that a Catholic priest who was removed from the ministry over child molestation allegations now is a TSA Supervisor at Philadelphia International Airport.

This week a TSA reached inside the bra of a 73 year old passenger at the Bozeman, Montana airport.

Pistole has told Congress three times since January 2011 that the scanners would be independently tested yet again reneged on the latest promise he made in October, saying that he deems the scanners safe. He continues to expose passengers to these dangerous scanners despite expert testimony that these will cause over 100 cancer deaths a year. To date no testing has occurred and again he has lied to Congress.

There were a total of 91 TSA workers arrested in the last 18 months including 12 arrested for child sex crimes, over 25 for theft, ten for smuggling and even one for murder. Crime, abuse and incompetence is so widespread in TSA that even Kip Hawley, the last TSA Director, has called for its overhaul.

TSA is a less than useless and their lack of oversight and responsible management allow these crimes and abuses to continue to occur. John Pistole has failed miserably and he and the agency need to be replaced with a sensible and effective system.

He and Napolitano are responsible for the abusive practices being inflicted upon travelers by TSA every day and he should be indicted for malfeasance and violating the basic human rights of millions of Americans.

Under Pistole, TSA screeners have been turned into child molesters and our children taught to be victims. Al Qaeda has succeeded on altering our way of life and stripping us of our liberties and Pistole has been their willing accomplice.

[nygurl1]

There was a story last week? about the scanners. Said the exposure levels were unsafe!
TSA is legalized thuggery. And those gropers should have their hands broken.
Notice they pick the weak to bother?
The airlines think they are invulnerable. Time for people to wise up and stay home or drive!
Doesn't have to be forever. I figure a month would do it!

[credibility2]

The government needs to require an IQ test and a college degree for any position, especially the TSA. They also need to mandate that the employees can speak the language correctly and enunciate so they're understood.