Tulsi Gabbard Alleges Serious Retaliation Post-Kamala Harris Critique

Former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard claims she’s been placed on a secret government terror watchlist after criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris, raising concerns about potential political retaliation and infringement on civil liberties.

At a Glance

Gabbard alleges she was added to the TSA’s “Quiet Skies” watchlist on July 23.
She and her husband have faced extensive TSA screening since being added to the list.
Hawaii lawmakers are demanding explanations from the TSA regarding Gabbard’s inclusion.
Gabbard believes this is political retaliation for her criticisms of the Democratic Party.

Gabbard’s Troubling Allegations

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic representative and U.S. Army Reserve officer, has made startling claims that the U.S. government has placed her on a “secret terror watchlist.” The allegation comes in the wake of her outspoken criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris and her recent endorsement of Donald Trump.

According to Gabbard, Federal Air Marshal whistleblowers informed her on August 4 that she was added to a secret TSA watchlist called “Quiet Skies” on July 23. This program, exposed by The Boston Globe in 2018, allows federal air marshals to monitor U.S. citizens without them being suspected of a crime or on a terror watchlist.

Extensive Screening and Surveillance

Gabbard claims that since being added to the list, she and her husband have faced “additional TSA screening” multiple times. She describes these experiences as extensive and time-consuming, often lasting 30 to 45 minutes per screening.

“Every time this happened, we were told by the TSA agent there that ‘this is just a random selection.’ That might have been believable if it had happened just once or twice. But five? six, seven, eight times in a row? There’s no way,” Gabbard stated.

The former congresswoman also alleges that at least three air marshals were assigned to monitor her during travel, both in the airport and on flights. She has expressed deep concern over this level of surveillance, stating that it violates her Fourth Amendment rights.

Political Retaliation or National Security?

Gabbard believes her addition to the watchlist is political retaliation for her criticisms of the Democratic Party and Vice President Kamala Harris. She views the actions taken by the Biden administration as “extreme by any measures” and questions the perceived threat she poses to national security.

The TSA, for its part, maintains that the Quiet Skies program uses a risk-based approach to deploy law enforcement resources efficiently. They claim the program aims to reduce risks on airplanes by identifying higher-risk passengers based on travel patterns and intelligence. However, a 2020 Homeland Security inspector general report criticized the program for lacking oversight and measures to prevent misuse of passenger data.

Lawmakers Demand Answers

Gabbard’s allegations have not gone unnoticed by lawmakers. Hawaii State Representatives Gene Ward, Diamond Garcia, David Alcos, and Elijah Pierick have sent a joint letter to TSA Director David Pekoske demanding explanations. They’ve called for Gabbard’s name to be removed from the watchlist or for the TSA to provide full transparency on the reasons for her inclusion.

“Sir, please remember this is the United States of America and you have not even stated why such a dastardly label has been attached to and besmirched her good name,” the group wrote, in part, in a letter to Pekoske. “As members of the Hawaii State House of Representatives listed below, we strongly urge you to immediately withdraw her name from the Quiet Skies program and/or provide full public transparency of the TSA’s reasons for maligning her name and reputation.”

As this situation unfolds, it raises critical questions about the balance between national security and civil liberties, and the potential for abuse of government power for political purposes. The American public deserves transparency and accountability in how these watchlists are managed and utilized, especially when they involve public figures and former elected officials.