Dept Homeland Securty--Corrupt!

[Doug]

Smuggling, theft, bribery at agency
Homeland Security staff misconduct is outlined in a report, along with fraud by the public.


WASHINGTON 12/5/06— Aside from patrolling the nation's borders and guarding against terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security also is battling fraud, theft, bribery, smuggling and other crimes by American citizens — with some of the most disturbing examples coming from the sprawling agency's own employees.

A semiannual report filed to Congress by the department's inspector general showed a sharp jump in arrests in the six months ended Sept. 30, with many stemming from schemes by members of the public to bilk the agency of emergency relief funds in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

But the report, released this week, also highlights a litany of staff misconduct: immigration officials demanding sex in exchange for visas, airport screeners stealing money from tourists' luggage, federal air marshals smuggling drugs, and employees from various DHS agencies committing sex crimes — including indecent exposure and distributing child pornography.

The array of staff transgressions tucked into the report reflects the continued growing pains of an agency that was formed only three years ago, and the pressures created as parts of the department have rapidly expanded, critics say.

Clark Kent Ervin, a former DHS inspector general, said the Transportation Security Administration rushed to hire screeners and air marshals in 2003 without running background checks on the applicants.

"Knowing DHS dysfunction and disingenuousness, it wouldn't surprise me if DHS doesn't fully vet employees for criminal backgrounds before hiring them or periodically recheck them," Ervin said.

Read the rest here.

[Hogeye]

Since the Homeland Security Dept. is such a dismal failure, no doubt statists will conclude that it needs more money! Heads they win, tails we lose.

[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

This is the W -produced funnel of tax dollars anywhere but where the voters voted to put them. He doesn't mind if the mice get a few crumbs. The bakery still goes to his buddies. The programs HSD is supposed coordinate and improve were working quite nicely, thank you. Just because W&Co deliberately ignored the warnings and recommendations doesn't mean they didn't do their jobs. Hopefully, we will be able to get rid of this one sometime soon (not holding my breath, of course).

[Dardedar]

The programs HSD is supposed coordinate and improve were working quite nicely, thank you. Just because W&Co deliberately ignored the warnings and recommendations doesn't mean they didn't do their jobs.

DAR
Exactly right. Here is a quote to back you up:

"I am extremely concerned that the ability of our nation to prepare for and respond to disasters has been sharply eroded,… I hear from emergency managers, local and state leaders, and first responders nearly every day that the FEMA they knew and worked well with has now disappeared. In fact one state emergency manager told me, 'It is like a stake has been driven into the heart of emergency management.'"

--FEMA director James Lee Witt, at a hearing on Capitol Hill March 24, 2004