You're watching...
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, (R-Tenn.), on the growing number of complaints about TSA employees.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
He's -- -- spinning out of control you hear stories of grandmothers being patted down.
Three year -- being inspected while serious threats are overlooked.
Here to give her take is congresswoman Marsha Blackburn thanks so much for joining us would be I know you've been studying this particular issue would -- -- What we found one safety failures that the TSA has endeared human resource in their transportation security officers and -- of the recent that we looked at this was because in -- -- having so many complaints from people.
And we thought certainly the TSA is not this out of control so we started looking at.
And our key findings show us that theft sex crimes child pornography.
-- salt bribery drugs illegal firearms.
Airport screening violations murder conspiracy.
Impersonating a federal officer driving under the influence really child pornography -- track.
Well these are charges that are against the individuals that are a part of TS.
And the reason we are so concerned about this is because.
What has happened.
Administratively.
Not not congress but by going around congress doing things administratively.
The TSA reclassified airport screeners to airport security officers.
And all this -- from 2005 to 2008.
Then they put them into federal law enforcement uniforms and they added badges and they added metal badges and they added apple -- And basically you have individuals that have eighty hours of training to be an airport security screener.
Who are -- now.
Pretty much impersonating a federal law enforcement officer and another a lot of good people that work with TSA but we've found a lot of shortfalls.
Yes you're seeing that at the end of the day there in these jobs that they really don't have any authority that if something goes wrong.
They're just calling 911 like the rest of us are they're calling the airport -- At least now they do not have guns but you're calling that airport police.
And what we did find was -- that yes.
They have a breach in the security area that airport police did not have many times do not have a -- security -- Ended that screening area and the TS -- -- may spend thirty minutes trying to resolve the issue and then calling airport police.
This is something where we don't need to applications.
We do not need the TSA elevating individuals -- TSOs.
They need to be there to assist the traveling public they do not need to be wearing federal law enforcement uniform.
-- TSA says this response space say that five TSA officers at Fort Myers alone have been fired after failing to conduct proper screening another 38 elsewhere.
Rating from front line workers two officers to federal security director and airport have been suspended.
This is all because of the self initiated -- internal investigation.
-- so they basically say.
They're there they're looking at the problem you know maybe if we see these incidents.
That you see on the news that you see on YouTube and whatever else is are few bad actors and that really -- creating millions of people a day.
And they're trying to also life.
-- -- -- -- -- 46000.
Individuals that are now transportation security officers I have fifty.
Crimes that are in my report a one we have so many different complaints I have a survey up on -- website but -- has gotten up where we have.
At this report where people can go landings and talk about the complaints if they have with.
With TSA you have airport security officers that aren't there -- they are trying policeman -- there's a difference let's say someone in new York and Nashville.
Wanting to be.
A police officer they meet certain requirements to do their application they go to school for about six months.
Then they can use their new title and Wear the uniform of a law enforcement.
Office -- yes those two weeks what's the solution army do we want the police officers at the airport we wanted -- military personnel.
Bush be doing this instead you -- these guys are doing about job who should we have screening and -- listen here's installation.
And we need to invent TSA to go bank to assisting the -- public.
-- being screeners if -- there is someone -- is breach in security.
Then it needs to be airport police the TSS don't need to be on our highways where they are and our train stations where they are.
Day do not have the ability to -- -- detain terrorists they are not acting on actionable intelligence.
That having sex thank you so -- thank you up Melissa but but it looked like a bribes at -- can't go there I'm effort on your.
