by TChris

Can the Transportation Security Administration protect us from terrorists when it can't protect itself from its own employees? TSA employees have been on a spending spree, wasting money that should be spent to enhance security. One of the worst offenders "spent $500,000 on art, silk plants and other decorations for a new operations center and then went to work for the vendor after leaving the agency."

The inspector general found that the project manager and other TSA employees routinely violated agency policies to buy furniture, leather briefcases, coffee pots and other items. They concealed purchases of more than $2,500, including one for $47,449, by splitting them into several credit card transactions, the report said.

TSA employees built themselves a nice fitness center and outfitted their offices with cable tv's. The president thought it would be detrimental to national security to provide TSA employees with the job protections that apply to most federal employees, but the real detriment to security comes from the diversion of funds to unauthorized or unnecessary purchases.

Who, in the Bush administration, will be held accountable? Anyone?