WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 16, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – The alleged sexual exploits of two on-duty U.S. air marshals will be front and center on Capitol Hill Thursday, and U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz from Utah’s 3rd Congressional District will be at the center of it all.
Chaffetz, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, is overseeing a hearing designed to “examine personnel actions taken at the Federal Air Marshal Service to address improper behavior, as well as managerial decisions to prevent further misconduct.”
According to an article published by the D.C. insider publication, The Intercept, the investigation is being spurred by reports that two Chicago-based air marshals were recently suspended without pay after allegedly using government cell phones to record sex acts with prostitutes while on duty in Europe. The marshals are also alleged to have used their government phones to share emails of the encounters.
An I-team investigation by ABC 7 in Chicago says the air marshals “posed as pornographers looking for women to star in their movies” and communicated with them on their government-issued phones.
Chaffetz told ABC 7 the TSA needs to take action to make sure something similar doesn’t occur in the future. “They have got to get a grip on this,” Chaffetz said, “because these people are entrusted with weapons on planes to protect the public, and heaven forbid something happen.”
The Transportation Safety Administration spokesperson, Mike England, acknowledged the alleged misconduct Wednesday, saying, “TSA demands the highest standards of integrity and professionalism for its employees. When criminal behavior or misconduct is substantiated, TSA holds employees accountable.”
The Intercept article says another TSA sex scandal may also coming to light, one involving an purported scheme out of the agency’s Mission Operations Center. According to The Intercept, air marshals are alleged to have had sex with their schedulers in exchange for being placed on flights of their own choosing.
Thursday’s House Oversight meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight time.
