McDermott calls for rescinding screening promotions at Sea-Tac

By Cheryl Phillips
Seattle Times staff reporter

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U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, yesterday asked the Department of Homeland Security to rescind all recent promotions of federal screening managers at Sea-Tac, calling the process "tainted."

He cited a letter and petition signed by 206 screeners and supervisors at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that called for an investigation into management practices. Their complaints included improper promotions and an allegation that a baggage-screening manager accepted $300 apiece from at least two employees in exchange for helping them win promotions.

"Nothing less than a complete reversal can hope to restore confidence in TSA and the people chosen to lead management security at Sea-Tac," McDermott said in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

McDermott also cited remarks by Bob Blunk, TSA's federal security director at Sea-Tac, who in Sunday's Seattle Times said that a human-resources contractor lost track of some employee applications.

"This admission by your director is the smoking gun, which proves that some TSA employees interested in being considered for management promotion were denied any access to the process," McDermott said. "An investigation may reveal other improprieties."

The TSA referred requests for comment to the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

But some screeners reacted with jubilation upon hearing of McDermott's request that the promotions be rescinded.

"Oh, right on!" said one supervisor. "I'm doing a tap dance. I'm hoping that happens. I think something needs to be done and I think that's a start. ... The biggest problem we have is they (screeners) believe nothing is fair."

Meanwhile, a dozen TSA internal-affairs inspectors arrived Sunday at a hotel near the airport as part of a weeklong site review. They are interviewing screeners and supervisors to hear complaints about the way things are run at Sea-Tac.

Internal-affairs criminal investigators already have interviewed TSA employees about the actions of the baggage-screening manager alleged to have accepted money from employees to help them win promotions. The manager is still at work, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Since the screeners' letter and petition were sent out in mid-December, Blunk has begun meeting with screeners and supervisors. In earlier interviews, he expressed little surprise that screeners and supervisors were unhappy and said he was trying to listen to their concerns. He recently received money to begin training supervisors, he said.

Blunk sent a memo to staff members encouraging them to meet with investigators if they have concerns.

Cheryl Phillips: 206-464-2411 or cphillips@seattletimes.com

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