ABC, Brian Ross: Air Marshal Faced Retaliation for Citing Security Issues

[DeepModem Mom]

Air Marshal Says He Faced Retaliation for Bringing Up Security Issues
May 18, 2006
Brian Ross Reports:

The head of a group of Federal Air Marshals says the service is badly broken.

"Right now we cannot protect the public," says Frank Terreri, an active duty air marshal who represents a group of 1,500 air marshals. "And not because we're not proficient, not that we're not capable, it's because federal air marshal management, along with the Department of Homeland Security, won't let us do our jobs."

Terreri says air marshals are not able to work undercover because check-in and boarding procedures at airports make it impossible for air marshals to maintain their anonymity:

"We're supposed to be undercover. But basically when everybody knows who you are, you're just the guys on the plane with the gun. Either they're gonna avoid you or overcome you, you're at a severe disadvantage."

Terreri has spent three years trying to get the air marshals management to address these issues with no response. Instead he says they've retaliated against him, with four separate investigations, including one for misuse of his business card....

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/05/air_marshal_say.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Retaliation is their MO

Especially for serious things that interrupt their agenda or further expose their incompetence. Remember 'The Man Who Knew', John O'Niell.

[UpInArms]

2. not to overlook Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame ... eom

[midnight]

4. Boy did John know a lot.

He fought to his death to protect his beloved country. Thank you John.

[Dhalgren]

3. WTF! A congressman asking, begging, for the admin to follow

the law!?! Where the hell are we!?

'Committee Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner says the air marshals lack of anonymity violates federal law. He hopes the Federal Air Marshal Service Agency will "at least be a little bit more compliant with the law and whistleblowers, rather than trying to shut them up,"'

"at least be a little bit more compliant with the law"?! A little bit more compliant? What the hell does that mean!? Good gods! Now congress is asking for administration officials to "please, please, just comply a little with the law"; "pretend to comply, so we at least don't look to be the fools we are". This just takes the fucking cake!

[UpInArms]

5. from wHorie Kurtz and the WP

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/05/19/BL2006051900420_pf.html

Of course, Congress had a long tradition of providing oversight of the executive branch until the Republicans essentially declared 1600 Pennsylvania off limits in the last five years.

[midnight]

6. I think it is later than we realize.

But I couldn't tell you were we are. It is a time I have no knowledge of. Lying seems to be the base of operation for this country. Safety, law, common sense, etc. are strangers to this group who are destroying the place I know as my country.

[Kagemusha]

7. Silly kids. The marshals are there to make us FEEL safer.

And how can we FEEL safer unless we see them and recognize them and know what they are?