The Washington Post reports that screening the screeners has been woefully inadequate, since several TSA employees have criminal histories

More than two dozen federal airport screeners stationed at Los Angeles International Airport have been found to have criminal histories, prompting concern that the federal government did not complete required background probes of security personnel, people familiar with the matter said.

The airport said it will begin fingerprinting and conducting criminal background checks next week on its federal airport screeners. Similarly, in New York, police have uncovered that at least 50 security screeners have criminal pasts at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Turns out this came to light when simply asking some Los Angeles employees whether they were in fact criminals and they said yes…

Meanwhile, a TSA screener from Monterey has filed a complaint against a member of Congress for objecting to the screener demanding that the airline weigh the Congressman’s bag — something that is, of course, not a TSA function. Member of Congress stands up for his rights and receives a formal complaint. TSA power run amok? At least Congress has has assumed an oversight role over security screening, but I’m not holding my breath.

Update: the expensive security screening toys used by the TSA are still not as effective as traditional, low-tech, dogs.