"Report shows former Phoenix airport security official violated protocols"

Monday, September 11, 2006

File details claims vs. state airport ex-security chief 
By Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
 

New details about last year's resignation of Arizona's top airport security
official show that a Department of Homeland Security inspector general's
investigation found that she violated security protocols, mismanaged her
office, misused government vehicles and went on vacations without taking
leave.

Marcia Florian had 27 years in law enforcement when she became one of the
first federal security directors appointed by the Transportation Security
Administration in 2002. Federal security directors are responsible for
oversight of screening and inspections at U.S. airports. The agency has
about 1,000 employees in Phoenix.

A year after her appointment, Florian interviewed to become head of the
national agency. Not long after, Florian was placed on administrative leave
amid an internal investigation. She resigned on May 5, 2005.  

By then, Florian had come under fire publicly. Employees accused her of
cronyism and mismanagement. Internal documents indicated passenger wait
times at Sky Harbor International Airport were intentionally lengthened to
justify the hiring of more screeners.

Department of Homeland Security officials refused to say why Florian was
suspended, and she declined to comment while suggesting in an Internet
posting that she had fallen victim to politics.

But the inspector general's findings, obtained last week via a Freedom of
Information Act request filed two years ago by The Arizona Republic, provide
an explanation. 

According to the report, Florian quit after investigators substantiated 10
of 16 allegations against her for violating agency ethics and policies. Six
other accusations were found to be false or not provable.

Florian could not be reached for comment. But she hand-wrote explanations
for her conduct when inspectors confronted her.

Some of the substantiated charges, and Florian's responses, are:

   . Failed to report more than 40 days of missed work over a 27-month
period and submitted amended leave forms after the investigation started.
Florian allegedly took time off on a monthly basis to be at her vacation
condominium in Mexico and failed to notify superiors or delegate command in
her absence. She also worked from home in violation of TSA policy.

Florian claimed she had not been given training in the required procedures
for vacations, absences or telecommuting, and did not realize she was in
violation. She said she took days off as "comp time" for extra hours worked.
(The investigative report identifies TSA policies, newsletters and
directives that spelled out rules Florian was responsible for enforcing, as
well as following.)

   . Violated protocol by using cellphones to discuss Sky Harbor security
while she was in Mexico. Inspectors who retrieved information from Florian's
"crashed" computer found one e-mail from 2002 that reads: "I must be crazy.
We leave in 5 days and I am sitting on the beach in Rocky Point on my (TSA)
laptop instead of packing! This is the life."

Florian said she did not recall discussing security measures during
cellphone calls or via laptop e-mails.

   . Disregarded her primary duties and responsibilities as a federal
security director by failing to follow guidelines while out of the country,
and by being unavailable when subordinates needed to contact her. Florian
allegedly was out of reach on foreign trips during Level Orange terrorism
alerts and during a Sky Harbor security breach.

Florian said she maintained e-mail and cellphone contact with her office
while she was out of the country, and she disputed the importance of the
security breach.

   . Violated agency policy by using a federal vehicle as her personal car.
Florian allegedly had the vehicle's federal license replaced with an Arizona
plate, and failed to maintain required travel logs.

Florian said she felt entitled to a government car due to her work
responsibilities, and had the plate switched as a security precaution. 

   . During the investigation, inspectors concluded, Florian was attempting
to intimidate and interfere with Homeland Security's investigation "by
confronting witnesses prior to their interviews."

A witness whose name was redacted from the report also claimed that Florian
failed to enforce regulatory compliance by giving unspecified special
treatment to US Airways (then America West Airlines), and warned underlings
against harming the Phoenix-based company because that could damage the
local economy. 

That allegation was listed as "unsubstantiated" by investigators.

In December, The Republic reported that US Airways faced fines of up to
$178,000 for security lapses that involved failing to complete criminal
background checks for workers with access to secured areas.

The TSA has not answered a Republic public records request concerning those
violations and related allegations. The agency acknowledged having 230 pages
of documentation but has refused to release them, saying the probe is
ongoing. 

Around the time of Florian's resignation, an Internet posting in her name
complained that she fell out of grace with the new TSA administrator, David
Stone, after vying with him for the agency's top job.

"I am very disappointed," the message said. "I have served with integrity
and honor. However, in the last few days I have learned much about politics
at a higher level."

Florian was replaced by Randall Null, who has since been promoted to a
position as the administration's chief information officer. 

The federal security director in Arizona now is Paul Armes, who replaced
Null in January.

Attached Photo:

Marcia Florian

florian.jpg