Monday, July 30, 2007

PHOENIX REPORTER, LISA FLETCHER, CAPTURES SECURITY LAPSES ON VIDEO--AIRPORT WIDE OPEN TO THREATS

Sunday night's Andrea Shea-King Show began coming apart at the seams shortly before air-time. First, Carl Bernstein called Andrea while she was driving to her Orlando studios. Something had come up at the last minute, so he'd have to re-schedule for a later date. Nice. Then, author Brad Thor's people thought his interview was next week or next month. Again, nice. So, not one to panic, Andrea created a new show out of nothing, and it went very well. Some people do their best work under pressure.

***One segment from last night's show needs to be posted, and it needs to be re-posted by each of you. That is, if you think it's important. And, it is. The topic is "airport security" or lack thereof. The story is shocking, to say the least. However, what's even more shocking is the scant coverage the story has gotten in the MSM.

Investigative reporter, Lisa Fletcher, KNXV TV, Phoenix, came on the show to update us on a story she broke on July 20th. Fletcher was given a tip about security at Phoenix' Sky Harbor International Airport. After following up on the tip, Fletcher couldn't believe what she discovered over several nights at the airport. Better yet, she had the whole thing on video. Here's a snip from her original story:

"In the time we watched, dozens made it past this checkpoint, bags unchecked.

Larry Wansley couldn't believe it.

(Wansley is a U.S. Govt Airport Security Consultant)

Clearly this is a very, very imminently dangerous situation," he said. "You've got the front door, TSA that has locked it up for the better part of the day, the majority of the day. And then you throw open the back door to be exploited by those that would simply destroy us. And I simply do not understand it and I'm appalled. I'm shocked and I'm amazed."

The airport employee we talked with said she is afraid.

"No one's doing anything about it," she said. "Management knows. I know management knows. I know my superiors know. I know the security guards know. Everybody knows what's going on, but nobody's doing anything about it.

"You would think the director of Sky Harbor, or even a spokesperson from the TSA, would trip over themselves to talk about this issue, but you would be wrong."

***Read the entire story--begin with the original one on July 20, then move on to the update. There's video too.

Fletcher is pleased that Andrea had her on the show and has agreed to come back soon to discuss the story in more detail and to advise us on any updates. You want more? Phoenix isn't the only airport doing this. What's happening at yours?

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