September 27, 2014

Journalist put on terrorist watch list

Politico - Stephen Hayes, a senior writer at The Weekly Standard and a regular Fox News contributor, was informed Tuesday that he had been placed on the Department of Homeland Security’s Terrorist Watchlist.

Hayes, who spoke to Politico by phone , suspects that the decision stems from U.S. concerns over Syria. Hayes and his wife recently booked a one-way trip to Istanbul for a cruise, and returned to the States, a few weeks later, via Athens.

“I’d be concerned if it was anything more than that,” Hayes said.

Hayes first learned about his status on the watchlist during a trip to Minneapolis a few weeks ago when he was stopped for extra screening.

“When I went online to check in with Southwest, they wouldn’t let me. I figured it was some glitch,” he explained. “Then I got to the airport and went to check in. The woman had a concerned look on her face. She brought over her supervisor and a few other people. Then they shut down the lane I was in, took me to the side, told me I was a selectee and scrawled [something] on my ticket.”

“On my way back. the same thing happened,” he continued. “I got pulled out, they closed down the lane, and did a full pat-down and looked in all parts of my luggage.”

Things got slightly awkward on that return flight, because one of the TSA employees was a frequent Fox News viewer. “He knew I wasn’t an actual terrorist,” Hayes explained, “but it didn’t matter.”

Hayes finally contacted Southwest on Tuesday, ahead of another flight, to ask why he couldn’t check in. A customer service supervisor told him he wasn’t going to be able to get a boarding pass before arriving at the airport.

“So I asked if I was on the government’s terrorist watchlist, and she said ‘Yes.’”

Prior to joining The Weekly Standard, Hayes served as a senior writer at National Journal’s Hotline and as the Director of the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University. He has written for at least a half-dozen prominent publications and has appeared on as many television news networks.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's bureaucracy all the world around: don't even try to do the right thing, always do whatever is least risky to oneself.

Anonymous said...

My son, born and raised in the U.S.A. Has sandy blonde hair, and green eyes, was, and may still be on the "no-fly" list.

He has survived.

This guy will also.

Anonymous said...

Basic clear language in the Constitution does not allow for this Resigned compliance ensures the further dismantling of the fundamental laws of the country. Once gone it will never come back.