John Pistole

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TSA Chief: Bad Hygiene 'Degraded' Underwear Bomb

Would-be bomber wore it for weeks, and it apparently got damp

(Newser) - You likely remember the failed underwear bomb aboard a 2009 flight to Detroit that sent Umar Abdulmutallab to prison for life . What you may not know: The plot seems to have failed thanks in part to lousy hygiene. In a panel discussion yesterday, TSA chief John Pistole said Abdulmutallab had...

The Short List to Replace Napolitano

Ray Kelly, maybe Joe Lieberman

(Newser) - Janet Napolitano is officially headed for an exit on stage left , which invites the question of who will succeed her at Homeland Security. Politico and the Daily Beast round up some of the frontrunners to be the sprawling department's fourth leader:
  • NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly: Chuck Schumer has already
...

Under Fire, TSA to Keep New Knife Policy

But Congress considers legislation to reinstate ban

(Newser) - The TSA has gotten a lot of flak for deciding to allow small knives back on planes—but not enough to change its mind. "I could have done a better job of bringing (the policy) in earlier," TSA boss John Pistole testified before a Homeland Security subcommittee. Lawmakers...

House Panel to TSA: Stop Patting Down Beyonce

Celebs like her are not terrorists: Rep. Mike Rogers

(Newser) - House officials have some words of wisdom for the TSA: Don't pat down Beyonce. Seriously. After all, "she's not going to blow a plane up," says Rep. Mike Rogers, who heads the House Homeland Security Transportation Subcommittee. "There are certain people that are just so...

Senator: Put Bigger Health Warnings by Airport Scanners

Susan Collins wants more study into radiation concerns: ProPublica

(Newser) - Maine Senator Susan Collins wants the TSA to put more prominent health warnings near those big full-body scanners at airports, reports ProPublica . What she really wants is for the agency to conduct an independent study on the potential dangers posed by radiation, but because the TSA is balking, she'll...

TSA Procedures That Won't Infuriate You: Coming Soon

Agency chief hints that focus will shift

(Newser) - Could the TSA finally be responding to public outcry over its often-controversial procedures ? In his most recent appearance before Congress, TSA chief John Pistole moved away from his typically adamant defense of the agency’s screening process. "I have listened to ideas from people all over this country,...

Pistole: No Body Cavity Searches on My Watch

Nation can breathe a sigh of relief on that point, at least

(Newser) - Concerned that body cavity searches are the inevitable next frontier in the TSA's war against terrorism? Don't be—at least not as long as John Pistole is around. USA Today had a long chat with the TSA chief and he revealed that, though current technology can't detect explosives hidden inside...

Officer Leaves Loaded Gun Magazine on Plane

But don't worry: He'll receive remedial training!

(Newser) - What with all the new "enhanced" airport security procedures, passengers on a recent Southwest flight were probably pretty surprised to find a loaded gun magazine on their plane. After landing in Phoenix yesterday, a child crawled off his mother's lap and knocked the gun magazine out of a seat-back...

Let's Scrap Color-Coded Terror Alerts: Homeland Security

Rather than 'threat level red,' you may soon hear 'imminent threat'

(Newser) - America's color-coded terror alert system, long the butt of jokes and the target of complaints, may not be much longer for this world. The Homeland Security Department is proposing a change to the Homeland Security Advisory System, which many have faulted for being too vague or simply a scare tactic,...

TSA Chief Says Pat-Downs Here to Stay ... or Not

Says pat-downs won't stop; then revises statement

(Newser) - Enhanced pat-down policies are “not changing” due to “the risks that have been identified,” the TSA chief told CNN yesterday—before quickly amending his words in a statement to Politico . Airport security screenings “will be adapted as conditions warrant,” John Pistole wrote, making them “...

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