Despite Security Mania Since 9/11, TSA Failed to Find 95% of Fake Weapons in Mock Tests

Despite creating a world where you have to take off your shoes, empty every drop out of a water bottle, dispose of toenail scissors, and expose yourself to a full-body scanner (or submit to a physical pat-down) every time you want to get on an airplane, the Transportation Safety Administration failed to find a full 95 percent of fake weapons which passed through airport security checkpoints during covert tests performed recently by the Department of Homeland Security.

As ABC News, which broke the story on Monday, reports:

As a result of the high failure rate, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has reassigned the TSA chief to a new role at the agency and ordered a full review of security procedures and ordered immediate improvements.

Strikingly, as ABC noted, the review by DHS determined that “despite spending $540 million for checked baggage screening equipment and another $11 million for training since a previous review in 2009, the TSA failed to make any noticeable improvements in that time.”