The American Spectator

home
ADVERTISEMENT
Print Email
Text Size

The Spectacle Blog

The Obama administration has been pressuring Republicans to allow the confirmation of Erroll Southers at TSA ("Too Stupid for America").  Alas, there is the little problem of Mr. Southers apparently misleading Congress.

Reports the Washington Post:

The White House nominee to lead the Transportation Security Administration gave Congress misleading information about incidents in which he inappropriately accessed a federal database, possibly in violation of privacy laws, documents obtained by The Washington Post show.

The disclosure comes as pressure builds from Democrats on Capitol Hill for quick January confirmation of Erroll Southers, whose nomination has been held up by GOP opponents. In the aftermath of an attempted airline bombing on Christmas Day, calls have intensified for lawmakers to install permanent leadership at the TSA, a critical agency in enforcing airline security.

Southers, a former FBI agent, has described inconsistencies in his accounts to Congress as "inadvertent" and the result of poor memory of an incident that dates back 20 years. He said in a Nov. 20 letter to key senators obtained by The Post that he had accepted full responsibility long ago for a "grave error in judgment" in accessing confidential criminal records about his then-estranged wife's new boyfriend.

His letter to Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Senate homeland security committee, and Susan Collins (Maine), the ranking Republican on the panel, attempts to correct statements about the episode that were made in a sworn affidavit on Oct. 22 and have been reported.

Is this really the best person the Prez can find for such an important job? 

View all comments (14) | Leave a comment

Jim Hlavac| 1.1.10 @ 10:08AM

Well, this can be said: the more incompetent, borderline criminals that Obama appoints, the more clearly the Liberty Minded people of this nation can see the clarity of the problem, and even those less inclined to follow such things -- and the more we can point out the utter balderdash of what we have to the still Obamaphiliacs in our midst. Sometimes the nation has to go through a cathartic moment -- and the critical mass of bimbos and morons, criminals and ne'er do wells that are appointed make it clearer and clearer that Obama is among the worst we could have done. Three more years of this and will have such an obvious demonstration of the limitations of government, the absurdity of the tax and spend regime, the danger of debt, the crookedness of the progressive Democrats and the incompetence of Obama. The Republic will survive, but limp a bit, but we could come out all the better for it. What a year to come! Can't wait.

Franklin| 1.1.10 @ 11:57AM

I just hope the little o and the congress & MSM that worships him doesn't sucker too many citizens into his entitlement trick.

We need smart voters in 2010 and 2012.

Start by attending the National Conservative Symposium will be held at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas, January 22-24, 2010. Register at: http://teapartysupport.com/nat.....symposium/

Get involved in your local Republican precinct meetings to get CONSERVATIVES nominated.

Join your local Tea Party and actually do something to change politics as usual.

Tim| 1.1.10 @ 12:48PM

Frankly this man seems perfectly decent compared to the rogues gallery of 1960s terrorists, America haters, race baiters, communists and pederasts Obama has already embraced.

SoCon| 1.1.10 @ 3:59PM

Well, a tax cheat heads Treasury; so why not?

Everything is upside down and inside out in Obamaland.

Bruce| 1.2.10 @ 1:21PM

"TSA ("Too Stupid for America")."

Bwa-hahahahaha! STOLEN!

Melinda| 1.2.10 @ 1:37PM

"Inconsistencies"? "Misleading statements"? The English language has a perfectly good--and mercifully short--noun for Southers's testimony. The word is LIES.

iggymom| 1.2.10 @ 5:09PM

Breaks the law, illigally accesses files, lies to Congress, not once but TWICE, and he is still confirmed?? This whole government, dem and rep are corrupted and need to LEAVE the PEOPLES HOUSES.

Brooke| 1.2.10 @ 11:36PM

Republican Senator Jim DeMint has put a hold on this miscreant's nomination; thank God there are still some courageous Republicans in Washington DC.

The Democrats stink with corruption; November can't come soon enough!

GHD| 1.3.10 @ 12:52PM

Welcome to our website: http://www.e8800.com

As the commodities we supply are of excellent quality and low price,E8800.com offer you the stylish GHD straighteners uk, include the

Farouk Chi Flat Iron,Chi Hair Straighteners,GHD Hair Straighteners.

we have won a very good reputation from our clients all over the world.

If you are interested in any of our products, please don't hesitate to contact with me by email.

i trust that through our cooperation we shall be able to conclude some transactions with you in the near future.

Website: http://www.bikinisguide.com

Oldefarte| 1.3.10 @ 4:14PM

They can possibly outdo the Kennedys, who supposedly installed one of their operatives inside of the IRS in order to gain confidential information that could be used against their political enemies.

Daisy| 1.3.10 @ 6:52PM

But can they outdo Hillary, she the proud owner of 900 purloined FBI files?

Liberal Reader| 1.3.10 @ 9:37PM

This is just not serious criticism of the government.

When dissent is based on petty, largely spurious complaints based on questionable facts it has the effect of bolstering the worst aspects of state power.

Get serious, people!

The country has serious problems. Sitting around whining and endlessly rehearsing masturbative and trite nonsense like this is just marginalizing you.

Obama's selection for TSA is actually a pretty good one. His views on unions are no big deal: all the heroes who rushed INTO the burning Trade Center were unionized government workers. (Many of those who were running OUT were anti-union private sector types.)

Why grudge TSA the ability to bargain for benefits?

Get serious folks. You sound like a bunch of ignorant hicks debating when the Rapture is going to take place.

Nobama| 1.4.10 @ 2:08AM

You're the king of masturbatory nonsense, Liberal Reader--we all know that.

All hail the King!

Richard Baker| 1.3.10 @ 11:17PM

Unions in Government service should not be allowed. Adding a Union mentality to Government equals the worst of all worlds.

Leave a Comment

N.B. We encourage readers to share and discuss their thoughtful and relevant comments about this Spectator article. Comments are routinely monitored and will be deleted if profane, bigoted, or grossly impolite. Please be respectful. (And don't feed the trolls!) Thank you.

More Blog Posts by Doug Bandow

http://spectator.org/blog/2010/01/01/another-great-obama-appointmen

ADVERTISEMENT

SPONSORED LINKS

Special Feature

Better that we become a nation of choosers rather than beggars. Our symposium on choice from the May, 2012 issue:

A Time for Choosing

James Piereson

The Road from Serfdom

Stephen Moore and Peter Ferrara

FLASHBACK TO: 1984

Clip of the Day

Most Popular Articles

Meet the Flukes!

F. H. Buckley | 5.25.12

The Wisconsin Turning Point

Peter Ferrara | 5.23.12

In Search of Muhammad

Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi | 5.25.12

Age and Kyl

Quin Hillyer | 5.25.12

Follow Me

Jay D. Homnick | 5.25.12

A Test of National Honor

Hal G.P. Colebatch | 5.25.12

How About the Record of DOE Capital?

William Tucker | 5.25.12

The Great Debate

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. | 5.24.12

ADVERTISEMENT