Paul, Grassley question TSA in alleged targeting of Tulsi Gabbard, others for political views

[jct74]

Paul, Grassley question TSA in alleged targeting of Tulsi Gabbard, others for their political views

By Lindsey McPherson
August 21, 2024

Sens. Rand Paul and Chuck Grassley are raising concerns that the Transportation Security Administration may be improperly using watchlists and screening procedures to target individuals for their political views.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Transportation Security Administrator David P. Pekoske, Mr. Paul cited two examples of concern as he asked for documents related to the agency’s management of passenger watchlists and screening programs.

“Among the troubling allegations is the claim that former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard was subjected to heightened surveillance after she was added to the Quiet Skies list following her public criticism of the current administration,” wrote the Kentucky Republican who is the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee.

He also cited “an equally concerning case” in which a federal air marshal whistleblower disclosed that TSA labeled his wife as a “domestic terrorist” for inaccurately claiming she unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The marshal’s wife, who has a documented mobility disability, was in Washington that day but never went to the Capitol.

“Despite her physical limitations making it impossible for her to engage in the alleged activities, and with no criminal charges against her, TSA has kept her on a watchlist for more than three years,” Mr. Paul wrote. “To compound matters, TSA later assigned a Federal Air Marshal, who was diverted from a high-risk international mission, to monitor her on a flight, even though she was traveling with her husband, who is also a Federal Air Marshal.”

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read more:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...-targeting-tu/

[jct74]

ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Sends Letter to TSA Requesting Information Related to Allegations of Improper Surveillance of Americans

August 22, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David P. Pekoske requesting information related to the management of watchlists and screening procedures by TSA. This information is being requested in light of recent disclosures from whistleblowers, which raise serious concerns that mechanisms in the TSA Quiet Skies program may have been improperly employed to target individuals based on their political views and participation in constitutionally protected activities, rather than for legitimate security threats.

As Ranking Member Paul notes in the letter,

“Among the troubling allegations is the claim that former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard was subjected to heightened surveillance after she was added to the Quiet Skies list following her public criticism of the current administration. In an equally concerning case, a Federal Air Marshal disclosed that his wife was labeled a “domestic terrorist” and subjected to Special Mission Coverage (SMC) after attending a political rally in Washington, D.C. The whistleblower disclosed that TSA inaccurately recorded his wife—who has a documented mobility disability—as having unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Despite her physical limitations making it impossible for her to engage in the alleged activities, and with no criminal charges against her, TSA has kept her on a watchlist for more than three years. To compound matters, TSA later assigned a Federal Air Marshal, who was diverted from a high-risk international mission, to monitor her on a flight, even though she was traveling with her husband, who is also a Federal Air Marshal.”

“These allegations echo concerns highlighted in a previous report by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), which identified critical deficiencies in TSA’s management of the Quiet Skies program, including insufficient oversight and inadequate safeguards to protect against the misuse of passenger data. Taken together, these incidents seem to be part of a broader pattern in which TSA has repurposed Quiet Skies to surveil individuals based on their political activities, even when there is no evidence of wrongdoing.”

As a result of these concerning allegations, Dr. Paul has requested TSA provide unredacted copies of all documents, guidelines, data, and internal communications related to the management of watchlists and screening procedures in the Quiet Skies program.

Dr. Paul’s letter is supported by The Air Marshal National Council (AMNC) and Empower Oversight.

“The Air Marshal National Council (AMNC) strongly supports Ranking Member Rand Paul’s aggressive oversight and letter demanding answers from TSA Administrator Pekoske,” said Sonya LaBosco, Executive Director of the AMNC. “The Quiet Skies surveillance program must end. Quiet Skies is ineffective, wasteful and does nothing to make us safer. We sincerely appreciate Senator Paul’s tireless efforts and firmly believe that TSA must be held accountable for creating one of the largest domestic surveillance programs in American history.”

“We are grateful to Dr. Paul for taking seriously the protected disclosures from the Air Marshal whistleblowers we represent. Whistleblowers are key to spotting and reporting abuses in government, and the Quiet Skies surveillance of Tulsi Gabbard and others appear to be a gross waste of funds and abuse of authority. It’s time for Congress and the Inspector General to get to the bottom of whether political retaliation played any role in adding Gabbard to the Quiet Skies list and ensure these abuses don’t happen again.” Said Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight

You can read the full letter HERE or below:

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read more:
https://www.paul.senate.gov/icymi-dr...-of-americans/

[fisharmor]

Cool, throw that on the mountain of reprisals the administration is documented as handing out.