One of the worst parts about flying a commercial airline in the United States, post-9/11, is having to deal with the Transportation Security Administration. Since it was first created in the same process that created the Department of Homeland Security, it has evolved into an organization that most American citizens outright despise.
A new ruling from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals is not likely to make the TSA any more popular with frequent fliers. In a 2-1 vote, a panel of judges ruled that screeners for the government agency are shielded by ‘government sovereign immunity’ under the Federal Tort Claims Act because they are not investigative or law enforcement officers. In other words, it is difficult, nearly impossible, to sue screeners for mistreatment. Perhaps most shameful, one of the judges tried to pawn the blame for her poor decision off on Congress.
Basically, these people can now do whatever they want, to whoever they want, without fear of punishment.
