U.S. Supreme Court Backs Former Air Marshal In Whistleblower Case

[RPfan1992]

A former federal air marshal whistleblower won a big victory Wednesday from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that he didn't break the law when he complained in 2003 about the Transportation Security Administration canceling overnight missions from Las Vegas, a decision the government made shortly after issuing a confidential advisory about a potential hijacking plot.

The whistleblower, Robert MacLean, was the source for an msnbc.com story about the canceled missions, headlined "Air Marshals Pulled from Key Flights." That story prompted several members of Congress to criticize the cancellations, and within 24 hours the TSA reversed course and put the marshals back on the flights. (In 2012, NBC News acquired full control of msnbc.com from Microsoft Corp., and rebranded the website NBCNews.com.)

The TSA did not know who the source was, but MacLean appeared again in an NBC Nightly News story in 2004 to criticize the marshals' dress code, which he said made the officers too easy to identify. Though he was shot in silhouette, his voice was recognizable, and TSA began investigating him. He was fired for disclosing sensitive information without approval.

On Wednesday, the court said his disclosure about the overnight missions was not specifically barred by law. If TSA was concerned about dissemination of this kind of information, it said, the solution lies with Congress or the president, who could issue an executive order. "Neither has done so. It is not our role to do so for them," said the opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts.



http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-supreme-court-backs-former-air-marshal-whistleblower-case-n290451

[jmdrake]

Good It's about whistleblowers won something.

[brushfire]

I dont know what the guy is complaining about... They should always dress their part.


http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/pix/kabuki2.jpg

[morfeeis]

Good It's about whistleblowers won something.

What are you talking about the win free vacations to club fed, the poor house and one way trips to other countries all the time....

[Danke]

I dont know what the guy is complaining about... They should always dress their part.


http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/pix/kabuki2.jpg

I think you have a point.

FAMs are highly trained and I appreciate them being on my flights, however, airlines have successfully fought the installation of second barriers to the cockpit. Yet they preach "Safety" all the time as their number one concern. BS. United Airlines paid Boeing to remove the second barrier (which was standard equipment) on the new 787.

Install second barriers and have armed pilots and there is no need for anyone in the cabin to be armed.

[ghengis86]

I think you have a point.

FAMs are highly trained and I appreciate them being on my flights, however, airlines have successfully fought the installation of second barriers to the cockpit. Yet they preach "Safety" all the time as their number one concern. BS. United Airlines paid Boeing to remove the second barrier (which was standard equipment) on the new 787.

Install second barriers and have armed pilots and there is no need for anyone in the cabin to be armed.

Well, if no one is armed in the cabin you could theoretically have some bad dudes with butter knives kill all the people in the cabin, but at least the plane can't be used as a missile. If you believe the 'lets roll' narrative, there's always going to be some people in the cabin willing to go down swinging. So lock the shit out of the cockpit door, only opened from the cockpit and they don't even need to be armed. Problem solved. Why even even have FAMs? I must not get plane security.

So will Obama go after this whistleblower as vigorously as all the others or did the SC put a stop to it for this one guy?

[Danke]

Well, if no one is armed in the cabin you could theoretically have some bad dudes with butter knives kill all the people in the cabin, but at least the plane can't be used as a missile. If you believe the 'lets roll' narrative, there's always going to be some people in the cabin willing to go down swinging. So lock the shit out of the cockpit door, only opened from the cockpit and they don't even need to be armed. Problem solved. Why even even have FAMs? I must not get plane security.

So will Obama go after this whistleblower as vigorously as all the others or did the SC put a stop to it for this one guy?

I said no one armed in cabin.

I think passengers can resolve any problems in the back post 9/11.

If for some reason they breach the cockpit, an armed pilot should be able to dispatch them.