TSA Accused of Paying Bonuses Despite ‘Total Failure’
Joe Cortez May 13, 2016
Assistant administrator received $90,000 while screeners failed weapons detection trials.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is once again facing scorn from legislators, as lawmakers question why an official was given a disguised bonus while screeners failed to detect mock weapons and explosives. During a second round of testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, NBC News reports TSA administrator Peter Neffenger was questioned about $90,000 in bonus payments to Kelly Hoggan, assistant administrator for the Office of Security Operations.
According to Neffenger’s statements, Hoggan was granted the bonus by former TSA administrator John Pistole. Department of Homeland Security inspector John Roth told the committee that the payment was made in nine installments to allegedly circumvent the $10,000 bonus limit. Hoggan received the payments over 13 months, beginning in November 2014. Roth testified that the person responsible for arranging the payments is “no longer employed by the TSA.”
The bonus payments came as TSA screeners across the United States failed repeated tests by Homeland Security investigators, who smuggled fake weapons and explosives past TSA checkpoints. In 70 tests, investigators claim the screeners failed 67 of them — a 95 percent failure rate.
“Those bonuses were given to somebody who oversees a part of the operation that was in total failure,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) said during questioning. NBC News reports additional committee members made similar comments about the payouts.
Despite the bonus payments, Neffenger told Congress that there were no plans to remove Hoggan from his post, nor has he personally witnessed misconduct by the assistant administrator. During his planned testimony, Neffenger focused on the progress made since stepping into the administrator’s role nearly a year ago.
“We are holding ourselves accountable to high standards of performance, and are supporting our frontline officers in their critical counterterrorism mission,” Neffenger said in his statement. “We have reinvigorated our partnerships with the airlines, airport operators, and the trade and travel industries and are working closely with Congress to address our security mission.”
The comments made during the testimony are the second time this month the TSA has come under scrutiny. In May, Homeland Security announced an investigation into the TSA after receiving a complaint of alleged racial profiling.
Bonuses paid to incompetent executives/administrators has been going on for decades. I wish there was a general outrage in the community about this, not just when a government agency does it.
On one hand, it is outrageous that the TSA is paying bonus' like this. Even ignoring the mock weapons detection issues, the state of the TSA is ridiculous. The incredibly long, unprecedented lines we are seeing now that grossly violate minimum standards is a direct result of TSAs inability to properly plan - to badly mismanage the predicted number of trusted travelers (and staff based on a model that was barely possible, much less probable) and failing to take into account turnover, meaning there are not enough screeners to have even a midly efficient security process at the airport. On the other hand, its not just the TSA that is inept - its the whole political circus we have. At least many of those doing the questioning are basically the pot calling the kettle black. Legislators are getting their full salaries (and I presume some sort of bonus - though I admit I have no idea), despite not bothering to do their basic work in helping to run the country, negotiating with members in the other party to make sure we are funding the right programs and solving our country's issues. This should be done not simply based on getting 100% of what one personally wants - but to do so taking into account what is best for the country and not pulling partisan crap that is today's standard.
Because its not their money, its ours. It is always very easy to spend other peoples money
Crooks looking for crooks? What else? It is government.