A Georgia lawmaker is outraged after a Channel 2 investigation uncovered a backlog of security background checks for workers at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Channel 2 Investigative reporter Aaron Diamant went to Washington, D.C., to speak with the former head of the TSA about a memo that was sent out at the airport related to new hires.

In it, the memo said the TSA had such a backlog of background security checks, airport employers were allowed to hire any employee needed and would complete background checks on accepted applicants at a later date.

The memo that has security experts, lawmakers, and passengers all fired up.

Channel 2's Richard Elliot broke the story Wednesday, the same day Diamant was on the road to see two big names in airport security.

"This is a joke. This is really a joke," Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens, said.

Broun is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Diamant showed him that memo while meeting with him at his Washington, D.C., office.

"This is intolerable. I don't understand why the TSA would do this sort of thing," Broun said.

The memo, written by Hartsfield-Jackson Airport's security director, sent by a source to Channel 2 Action New, said due to a backlog processing background checks, the TSA will allow the airport to issue security badges to employees before threat assessment and criminal history checks are complete.

Once that was done, "If any applicant is rejected and/or placed in the 'do not issue' status, his/her badge will be deactivated immediately."

Diamant asked Broun if the TSA should be giving waivers.

"No! No! No! No! They shouldn't be. They're not doing their jobs," Broun answered.

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While in Wasington, Diamant also met with former TSA administrator Kip Hawley and showed him the memo, too. His reaction was a bit more tame.

"Interesting. I think I'd find out how often that happens, and what that really means," Hawley said.

Since then, Channel 2 Action News confirmed what caused the backlog.

TSA sources said a glitch in a third party's computer system kept security clearance requests from reaching the TSA for processing.

"I'm sure that as we speak, the TSA, federal security director there is looking at it," Hawley said.

A TSA spokesman told Diamant the computer glitch has been resolved and at no time was security at risk, since all new employees will still go through ID verification and watch list matching.
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