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TSA forces Richmond airport to issue access badge to convicted felon
In today's episode of "what did the TSA do this time?", the agency is under fire for not only hiring a convicted felon, but demanding that his assigned airport issue him an access badge. The unidentified TSA employee was hired by the agency after passing their background checks - but when he applied for his airport badge, Richmond airport turned him down, citing a conviction for robbery when he was 18.
When the airport denied the badge application, the TSA demanded that they reconsider, citing "unspecified consequences" if they refused. To me, this sounds an awful lot like blackmail.
The employee had not mentioned the conviction on his TSA application, and it doesn't look like it it would have mattered, because the TSA claims he actually committed the crime when he was 17, and that they don't really care about a conviction at that age.
The airport access badge is required to obtain access to the "sterile" area of the airport, including the baggage sorting areas and airline parking spots. Of course, the job of a TSA agent also includes passenger and luggage screening - something convicted felons should not be allowed to do if you ask me.
Politicians are now getting involved, and U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor has asked the TSA to clarify their actions. Given the recent bad press for the TSA, it never ceases to amaze me how they continue to screw up, creating even more bad PR. Lesson to be learned? If you are a criminal planning to protect our skies, make sure you don't commit any crimes after your 18th birthday.
What do you think?
| Yes - assuming they paid their price to society | |
|---|---|
| No way - these people are in charge of our security |
Filed under: North America, United States, Airports
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 6)
USA Feb 7th 2010 9:49AM
You sound 1 step below that. Happy flying to you.
Marie Feb 7th 2010 8:45AM
Let's see, this guy lied on a job application, he's a convicted felon and he wants to help protect me at the airports? He didn't make a mistake when he robbed someone. He committed a crime! He got the job because he was someone's buddy or someone's relative. He cannot get a job anywhere else. Only those in civil service (like the TSA) are dumb enough to hire someone like him. That's a big problem in this country. There are no real consequences for criminals. He shouldn't be allowed to work on any gov't job. He should start his own business or work for a relative. There are plenty of Americans - without criminal backgrounds - who could use a job like that one. Hire some of them! Let this robber rot.
AJ Feb 7th 2010 8:53AM
If he lied on his application, that shows a problem in itself. If there is nothing to hide, why lie and what else is he lying about??
Teri Feb 7th 2010 9:21AM
I'm sorry but the whole operation of the TSA is a joke. Really, no common sense. If he committed a crime he shouldn't be allowed to be employed where security is involved. Reason why they have criminal back ground checks. The guy was 17 what is he now 20? Let's think about this, one the temptation could be a problem to go into someone's bag and take stuff. The training the TSA gets is a joke. A few months ago they had the guy who walked past the TSA worker without getting security check to go kiss his girlfriend. Come on...The TSA needs to do what they do overseas, you put up a glass barrier with one enterance and you get screened there. There shouldn't be one worker with a criminal back ground working for them. On top of having this guy lie on this application, right there shows his lack of honesty
Willsr Feb 7th 2010 9:36AM
To all those with their holier than thou attitudes! People make mistakes some get caught most don't! I hope you realize that every day when you drive if you break the speed limit,don't stop completely etc. if you have done this more than 5 times you have committed a felony. Sometimes people do stupid things the thing is are they trying to do right, have they continued in a wrong direction or have they paid the price asked of them and moved on. The stereotyping of everyone who has done something wrong that they are this evil person is part of what makes us in America such bigots. Our founding Fathers did things that in this day and age would have gotten them the death penalty (dueling etc.). But we condone those acts as being courageous this is the double standard we are living! Everyone should be given a second chance to allow them to prove themselves no matter the crime! If they fail then we can say that we have done what we could to allow them to redeem themselves. I bet most of you go to church on Sunday and sit there praising etc. yet have no idea what you are praising, forgiveness being the biggest message in all religions think about that while you're so quick to condemn a fellow human being. Remember if not for forgivness this country wouldn't have gotten so great to begin with.
cassideee2 Feb 7th 2010 10:26AM
"I hope you realize that every day when you drive if you break the speed limit,don't stop completely etc. if you have done this more than 5 times you have committed a felony."
What??? That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard, I swear! This is the perfect example of how STUPID some people can be. More than five times and you're a felon??? Well, I'm here to tell you, I've gotten FAR more than five speeding tickets (and those were the times I was actually CAUGHT) and I'm certainly no convicted felon. In fact I was hired to work for the most elite police department in the state, put through a rigorous background check, NO RECORD OF FELONY FOR ME!! If course I was questioned about my driving record, but it was deemed that my (old) driving record did not affect my honesty, sincerity and responsibility to the community or the service. WillSr, please back your nonsensical statements with some proof. IF said proof exists!
And I do happen to agree with most folks here. This TSA employee not only committed a CRIME, he LIED about it, hoping that it would somehow be overlooked. Of course the article doesn't say how old the guy is, whether he's 20 or 30 or 40, but the fact is he still committed a crime and attempted to cover it up by lying, indicating a propensity for deceiving behavior STILL, no matter what age he is, no matter how long ago his crimes against society took place. He's CURRENTLY deceptive in his behavior in the hopes of getting a job in SECURITY. Makes absolutely NO sense, but then again, we're talking about the TSA.
HueyLouie Feb 7th 2010 9:27AM
When you apply for a government job there is a clause that states if you misrepresent yourself, lie, or omit important information you will be terminated (job loss) and possible charges filed. My interviewer stressed honesty and restated the termination consequence.
Mark Feb 7th 2010 9:38AM
Forgive me but don't TSA agents carry weapons? It is my believe that a convicted felon is not allowed to carry weapons, that is a crime all by itself.
wendy Feb 7th 2010 9:41AM
DEPENDS on the circumstances......... robbery NOPE.... if he was a kid who did a recreational drug... yes. Kids grow up.
Shouldn't have lied on application.... how old is he now? and has he done anything else illegal... and the circumstances of who he was with when committing the crime ( led by older people) etc.
Don't know till u walk in their shoes......... BUT is he so dumb that he wouldn't have guessed a security job isn't the right thing to apply for after a conviction like that? He may be JUST TOO DUMB to do the job effectively and that would be reason enough to deny his employment or deny a badge or whatever
gary Feb 7th 2010 9:51AM
It didn't say how old he was when he committed the crime but if he had been a juvenile it would have been in a sealed record and not have come up on a background check. The quality of personnel TSA hires already is deplorable, but hiring a convicted felon is out of the question.
Heyes Feb 7th 2010 10:02AM
If your a convicted felon i dont want you flipping burgers at mcdonalds... get off this planet
Scott Feb 7th 2010 10:05AM
Dan,something tells me either you're full of it or our government and police system sucks big time if you're ex military and an ex law enforcement you're sentences are incoherent and babble aimlessly from one subject to another i mean come on.."The people that they pull aside for addition screening" what're they doing...taking them aside to ask if they know what 123+ 782 equals? and the word THEIR is spelled THEIR not THIER. Next thing i'm calling BS on is ..you going through Logan airport with orders while you're supposedly there for surgery ..sorry but if you're there for surgery it's not job related therefore you wouldnt have ORDERS as you claim. Kinda hard to be on your way to perform a war related service when you're injured and proceeding home after surgery ...and lastly ...wow some government employee( which basically all soldiers in the military are)and ex law enforement personel you are ....threatening violence toward a government empolyee doing his job "If it hadn't been for the intervention of a National Guard Sergeant and a Mass. State Trooper, it would have got really ugly. " i suppose if you were the employee you would have shot the person on site since he wasnt an American citizen by birth for doing the same exact thing you did.And how do you know someone is an American citizen by birth? do you have some sort of American birth detector? Wow i can go on and on to make you look dumber and dumber but ill end this now and if you would like to continue please respond Dan
LJBEAR Feb 7th 2010 10:16AM
Why not hire felons? the white house if amost full of them heading different departments and the TSA is no doubt loaded with them also. Like the old saying goes,"birds of the feather flock together" was true then and is true now. Why else would the TSA demand, with a warning of consequences the issueing of this pass to a convicted felon? THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.
TSA= TOTALLY SILLY ACTIONS
dinosaur Feb 7th 2010 10:29AM
Once a crook, always a crook!!!!!
John Wayne Feb 7th 2010 10:33AM
And the supreme being that is Barry Hussein Owe Bamma and his butt buddy Andy Stern want to make the tsa join the union? Won't that make you feel safer yet huh? How is that change working out for you anyway? Are your kids already preparing to work for the rest of their lives to pay the national debt that your hero has imposed on them? Or are they in school right now reading radical books as prescribed by the school system and singing um, um, um, Barrack Hussin Owe Bamma? Caution is advised? Believe in the saviour or be ridiculed forever you mindless sheep!
Bill Feb 7th 2010 10:35AM
I sympathize with John Madison. He has apparently proven himself. I worked for the Fed in personnel. One of my resposibilities was reviewing background investigation, comparing them with applications and determining whether or not action should be taken. He paid his dues and should not be blamed for past indicretion(s). However, Dan was right, he LIED on his application and thus should not have been hired or, if the lie was found after hiring, he should have ben instantly fired. The lie indicates that he did not learn his lesson.
Jeff Feb 7th 2010 11:44AM
I am a TSA employee, and I remember when employees were fired when it was found that they had past criminal activity. Sounds like someone locally is pushing some buttons to protect a pal.
joe Feb 7th 2010 10:44AM
You people are stupid! Lets make sure that no convicted felon can ever get a job that pays enough to survive. Even when the crime is over ten years old. Ex-cons should be given jobs immediately after exiting prison, not security sensitive jobs, but decent jobs. Why? Because the first three years after prison is when a felon is most likely to commit another crime. What do you think is going to happen if nobody will hire them? They will be left with no choice, thats right NO CHOICE but to do SOMETHING to put money in their pockets. Most felons are not violent, but after continually going to prison, they will become violent. State and Federal government needs to do a lot more to ensure that ex-cons have some kind of help when they complete their sentences. And don't tell me there are programs, because there are NOT.
mike Feb 7th 2010 10:48AM
I just finished my security backround check, and I believe the question is "Have you EVER been convicted of a felony?" Not "Since you turned 18 have you been convicted of a felony?" As anyone who has been through a TSA checkpoint, you know that they lack the basic "people" skills. Now we are finding out, day after day, that they also lack the basic security and public privacy/decency skills. But, they do have nice uniforms, don't you think??
Noel Feb 7th 2010 10:47AM
I have to say that this angers me beyond belief. I was hired by TSA to work in the Newark, NJ Airport in 2002 as a screeener. I was there for many months and doing a great job when I was approached by a supervisor and advised that my background check revealed that my credit was bad and that I was being fired. I left a job as a correctional officer to take this job and was never told during the hiring process that I had to have good credit. I was a single mother at the time and this just destroyed us. I have a spotless record and 17 years in private Law Enforcement. This is just unfair. I deserve to have my job back if he can have his with a criminal record. JERKS