The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) has been removed from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) watch list concerning her husband, William “Billy” Shaheen.
According to a press release from the DHS, “The Biden administration’s ‘quiet skies of silent partners and inconsistent application of watchlist programs’ is highlighted by the documents, communications, and timelines that have come to light.”
It’s reported that Senator Shaheen’s husband was flagged twice as “a co-traveler with known or suspected terrorists.” Following these incidents, Senator Shaheen apparently “lobbied” former TSA administrator David Pekosuke, who was quoted saying, “Pekosuke received explicit directions to remove Shaheen from the silent partner’s list of empty quiets.”
After Senator Shaheen met with Pekosuke directly, he repeatedly took steps to exclude Shaheen from the list. Despite having flown with known or suspected terrorists three times, Pekosuke granted Billy Shaheen a quiet exemption from his general classification.
Conversely, Tarshi Gabbard and numerous other Americans found themselves placed on a non-transparent list with little explanation or oversight.
In July 2023, Billy Shaheen was identified as a TSA Random Selectee during his flights between Boston Logan International Airport and both Washington-Reagan and Washington Dulles International Airports, marking his first flagging as a co-traveler with a known or suspected terrorist, according to DHS.
“Quickly after Billy Shaheen’s trip, Senator Shaheen’s office sought clarification from the TSA regarding the heightened screening that took place on those flights,” the DHS stated.
On October 18, 2023, Billy Shaheen was flagged again as a co-traveler with a known or suspected terrorist.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has criticized the “quiet skies” program for allegedly serving political interests under the Biden administration.
“It’s evident that this program has been weaponized as a political tool against adversaries while benefiting allies,” Noem stated. “What should be a neutral security program has instead turned into a means of political targeting. The Trump administration will restore integrity, privacy, and fair treatment for all Americans, including in aviation security.”
In a post shared on X in September 2024, Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, revealed that the Biden administration had placed her on a “secret terrorist watch list.”
“My own government has put me on a secret terrorist watch list, labeling me a potential domestic threat,” Gabbard expressed. “And why? Political retaliation. We’ve discussed how dangerous Kamala Harris could be if she becomes president, and Americans should be really concerned about that.”
