• Home
• About Amy
• Serving Minnesotans
• About Minnesota
• Issues/ Legislation
• Media Center
• Contact Amy
• FAQ

News Releases

Sen. Klobuchar Demands Explanation for Why U.S. Homeland Security Department Hired Official Who Was Fired After 35W Bridge Collapse

August 1, 2008

Minneapolis, M.N.- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today sent a letter to Michael Chertoff, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, demanding an explanation for why the agency recently hired Sonia Pitt, an emergency management official who was fired from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in November 2007 for, among other things, misusing state money, violating state ethics policies and abusing her state-issued mobile phone

When the I-35W bridge collapsed a year ago, Pitt took ten days to return to Minnesota from an unauthorized, state-paid trip to Washington, DC. In May 2008, an arbitrator upheld MnDOT's decision to fire Pitt. Only days later, the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration hired Pitt as a "Transportation Security Specialist." She was fired on July 31 after her new employment was publicized.

"Of all federal agencies," Klobuchar said, "the American public should expect the Department of Homeland Security to have an especially rigorous process for background checks on prospective employees. The hiring of Sonia Pitt appears to suggest otherwise."

Klobuchar specifically requested that Secretary Chertoff answer the following questions:

- Did the Homeland Security Department know about or consider the circumstances of Pitt's firing from MnDOT in its hiring decision?

- If the Department did not know about or consider the circumstances of Pitt's firing from MnDOT, what is the explanation for that and what actions are being taken to strengthen background checks on prospective employees?

- If the Department did know about or consider the circumstances of Pitt's firing from MnDOT, why was she hired anyway? Is there any indication that Ms. Pitt may have been hired based on politics or cronyism?

Below is the full text of the letter that Senator Klobuchar sent today to Secretary Chertoff. August 1, 2008

The Honorable Michael Chertoff Secretary Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I am writing to express my concerns and seek an explanation for the Department of Homeland Security's decision to hire Sonia Pitt as a security specialist for the Department's Transportation Security Administration (TSA). As you may know, Ms. Pitt, a former Minnesota emergency management official, was fired from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in November 2007 for, among other things, misusing state money, violating state ethics policies and abusing her state issued mobile phone. In connection with these offenses, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office is currently considering criminal charges against Ms. Pitt.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of Ms. Pitt's tenure with MnDOT took place during one of the darkest periods in Minnesota history: After the August 1, 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge, Ms. Pitt failed to return to Minnesota from an unauthorized, state-paid trip to Washington, DC. In fact, Ms. Pitt continued to neglect her emergency management duties, choosing instead to remain in Washington, DC for an additional 10 days following the bridge collapse, even though there was no work-related reason for Ms. Pitt to remain there. A subsequent state investigation of Ms. Pitt found that she had engaged in "activities that cannot withstand public scrutiny without embarrassment . . ."

Notwithstanding MnDOT's harsh criticism of Ms. Pitt's performance and its decision to terminate her employment, the TSA decided to hire Ms. Pitt as a "Transportation Security Specialist" in May of this year. In fact, it is reported that she started work at the TSA just ten days after an arbitrator upheld MnDOT's decision to fire her.

While I applaud the Department's subsequent decision to investigate and ultimately terminate Ms. Pitt's employment, I am troubled by the Department's decision to hire her in the first place. For example, it is reported that nobody from the TSA had contacted MnDOT to check on Ms. Pitt's performance there. Of all federal agencies, the American public should expect the Department of Homeland Security to have an especially rigorous process for background checks on prospective employees. The hiring of Ms. Pitt appears to suggest otherwise.

In light of this concern, I would like you to provide me with the results of your investigation into this matter and, in particular, I would like to receive answers to the following questions:

- Did the Department know about or consider the circumstances surrounding Ms. Pitt's performance at MnDOT in its hiring decision?

- If the Department did not know about or consider the circumstances of Ms. Pitt's firing from MnDOT, what is the explanation for that and what actions are being taken to strengthen background checks on prospective employees?

- If the Department did know about or consider the circumstances of Ms. Pitt's firing from MnDOT, why was she hired anyway? Is there any indication that Ms. Pitt may have been hired based on politics or cronyism?

I look forward to hearing your response to the issues raised in this letter.

Sincerely yours, /s

Amy Klobuchar United States Senator

###