Cummings Requests Documents About TSA Appointees’ Conflicts of Interest

May 3, 2017
Press Release

Cummings Requests Documents About

TSA Appointees’ Conflicts of Interest

 

Chief of Staff at TSA Previously Lobbied on

“Airport Security Equipment”

 

Washington, D.C. (May 3, 2017)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Acting Administrator Huban Gowadia requesting documents relating to the process used by TSA to manage potential conflicts of interest among appointees.

 

Cummings raised significant concerns about the employment history of TSA’s Chief of Staff, Chad F. Wolf, who previously “served as Vice President and Senior Director at Wexler|Walker for over 11 years.”

 

A lobbying report filed by Wexler|Walker for 2016 states that Mr. Wolf lobbied on “Airport Security Equipment” on behalf of Analogic Corp. 

 

According to the New York Times, Analogic executives tried to sell carry-on baggage security equipment to TSA—a move that could be worth at least $500 million in sales—with Mr. Wolf’s help while he was a lobbyist.  The Times also reported that “company executives said that they reached out to Mr. Wolf to discuss the matter after he joined the T.S.A.,” and Mr. Wolf’s Twitter account continued to host posts after his employment as TSA Chief of Staff “urging the T.S.A. to buy the devices.”

 

Late last year, Analogic announced that its screening system “has achieved critical milestones” toward TSA certification.

 

Cummings requested that TSA produce by May 19, 2017, all ethics agreements signed by all appointees at TSA, including Mr. Wolf; all waivers of any rule, regulation, or ethics requirement granted at TSA, including to Wolf; and all documents pertaining to the request for or issuance of any waiver granted at TSA, including to Mr. Wolf.

 

Click here to read today’s letter. 

115th Congress