TSA Threatens Opt Out Journalist: ‘We Know Who You Are’

The TSA has publicly slammed a journalist who opted out of an x-ray body scan and then reported that her genitals were groped by an agent who refused to provide her name and even wore her TSA badge UPSIDE DOWN to avoid being identified.

Talk radio host Amy Alkon related the recent incident at JFK airport, during which she was threatened with arrest by a TSA supervisor who also refused to identify himself.

After alleging that the TSA screener touched her labia, breasts and bare skin inside her clothing, Alkon noted on her blog that the supervisor also refused to provide a complaint form.

“It seems to me that when a government worker is doing a contested activity like groping my body for “security” purposes, sans probable cause, or engaging in any search of me as a citizen, I am entitled to that person’s full name and badge number.”

Alkon wrote in an email to the TSA, demanding to know if the agent and the supervisor will be reprimanded.

Now, the TSA has responded on its own blog, claiming that Alkon’s post is”offensive to say the least.”

TSA blogger Bob Burns claims that the screener in question “by all accounts other than Ms. Alkon’s, did her job by the book.”

Burns then accuses Alkon of being “somebody who makes a living by agitating situations and writing about them.”

Burns admits that the checkpoint supervisor threatened to call police on Alkon but states that he did so because “Ms. Alkon continued to make a scene.”

Before regurgitating his usual diatribe about how it’s great that we have the freedom to complain about TSA policies (despite the fact that screeners refused to provide her with an official complaint form), Burns then ironically suggests that the privacy of TSA screeners should be considered.

“After all, these individuals are doing the job the way they’ve been trained to do it. They show up to work daily with the intent of protecting our Nation’s transportation network.” he writes.

Burns then issues a tacit threat to Alkon:

“I can assure you of one thing, an infinitesimal number of our employees know of Ms. Alkon.”

Is this the way the TSA deals with people who complain now? By taking to the internet and attempting to publicly smear them?

Is it all good and well for a federal government agency to tell reporters “we know who you are”, when they express disagreement with its policies?

Story and Sources Here