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Some of the traveling lawmakers already have security details, while others who requested the service skipped their scheduled flights, according to records reviewed by Fox News, which was also told that lawmakers from both parties used the service – sometimes on official business, other times for personal travel.
LoBasco submitted a formal congressional ethics complaint about one such flight involving maxine-waters” target=”_blank”>Rep. Maxine Waters<
TSA issued a statement, saying: “Following the events of January 6th at the U.S. Capitol, the Transportation Security Administration enhanced security and law enforcement presence throughout the transportation system to include airports and aboard aircraft to protect the traveling public, including Members of Congress.”
Harassment of lawmakers in public isn’t new, but the federal air marshals (FAMs) say congressional flights are not their primary mission.
“Placing FAMs on aircraft simply because a member of Congress requests it is an egregious misuse of government resources,” David Londo, president of the Air Marshal National Council, said in a complaint to the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General on April 20. “The FAMs are now taking agents off of regularly scheduled “high risk” flights to put them on flights with members of Congress, that in most cases have their own armed federal security details onboard already. It has become akin to a type of extremely expensive concierge service for Congressional members.”
Fox News is told members of Congress who want security should call the Capitol Hill Police, which calls a TSA liaison, who then calls or inputs the request in the air marshal’s mission operations computer. According to Hightower, “all flights were covered regardless of the VIP being on board.” Federal air marshals work in two-person teams.
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Another representative not associated with the marshal’s group admitted the Congressional VIP or concierge service “greatly expanded” after the Jan. 6 riot. When asked why did TSA go along, he said, “They know where their bread is buttered.”
What is not clear is whether Capitol Hill Police apply any “threat assessment” to the congressional request, or are all simply approved, regardless of rank or destination.
This story has been updated to reflect the denial by Rep. Waters, The U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Capitol Police.
