Debbie Lesko: “I first want to say that the vast majority of TSA officers are good, hardworking professionals, but there are some bad…”

“I first want to say that the vast majority of TSA officers are good, hardworking professionals, but there are some bad actors. On February 6, 2020, the State of California announced the arrest and prosecution of a former TSA screener, resulting from an FBI investigation. According to the criminal complaint, the TSA screener used ``fraud or deceit to falsely imprison a woman going through security'' while stationed as a travel document checker at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2019. The screener insisted that the woman passenger needed extra screening in a private elevator, where he told the passenger to reveal her ``full breasts'' and to ``lift her pants and underwear.'' The victim in the case stated that she complied with the TSO's instructions out of fear. Fortunately, this offender was immediately fired by the TSA. However, under this bill, H.R. 1140, if it passed, this predator could be on the Federal payroll for months or even years. But this is not an isolated incident. In addition to the sexual predator at LAX, in the last 5 years alone, a screener in Boston was caught luring teenage girls into posing for nude photos; a screener at LaGuardia molested a female college student in the airport bathroom; and two screeners in Denver plotted to grope attractive men. My amendment is simple.…”