Houston, Texas

Sept. 28, 2011

To: Barak H. Obama, President of the United States

From: William N. Touzani, TSA Officer

Mr. President,

I’m writing to you directly with my grievances towards my employer TSA on the eve of my removal from

service. As a proud American, I served my country with loyalty and dedication in the aftermath of 9/11 by

joining the TSA and the fight on terror. After publishing a book about the TSA and Airport Security, with full

knowledge of the FSD and his assistants, I’ve now been targeted for removal along with the evidence,

while the cover-up for the truth is in effect.

I was an outspoken critic of the secondary screening process imposed on all citizens of Muslim countries,

and have asked thousands of such passengers to write the white House and their congressmen. Being of

Arab/Muslim decent, I had to listen to those passenger’s cries for many years, as they felt profiled on the

basis of their national origin, sequestrated and paraded like convicts. You have finally ordered for the

mandatory secondary screening to stop, and to be performed solely based on intelligence. This was a big

relief for me and my race.

Now, I’m here to pick-up the pieces, by first being suspended from work as a result of my book’s

publication, by being repeatedly denied promotions throughout my 9 years of service, and finally by being

proposed for removal.

I have gone out of my way to make TSA look better, in spite of years of uncivilized and humiliating

measures that played directly into the hands of terrorists. After all, if we take away a bottle of water from an

old women, a bottle of apple juice from a child and throw it in the trash as they watch, this child will not want

to be your friend.

Having more experience dealing with checkpoint airport security than just about anyone in the country, I’m

convinced that this business should revert back to private security companies. Airport security is only about

good technology and good customer service. This government masquerade, the politics of it all and the

insane waste of resources and manpower has lasted long enough.

Mr. President, as I’m about to join the ranks of the unemployed, my only desire is to have you read my

book “I’m Muslim, My Husband is TSA”. Thank you!

Sincerely,

William Touzani

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www.ThanksTSA.com

If your heart skips a beat every time you walk into an airport checkpoint, then this stunning book is for you! Checkpoint to Heaven is a collection of 4 themes that convey insightful, powerful, humorous, and sometimes controversial messages related to the role of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in this post 9/11 era. It’s an eyewitness graphic account of airport checkpoint operations and the social, religious, and political ramifications. It's also a testimony to the great work and challenges facing TSA, its officers, and the constant search for balancing the ever-changing passenger rules in the hope of providing better customer service.

I was born in French Morocco and spent my teenage years shuffling from Casablanca and Paris. As a world class swimmer, I competed around the world before receiving a swimming scholarship at La Salle College in Philadelphia, Pa. I later found employment with Honeywell, GE, Siemens and Picker International. In 1986, I was issued my first patent, which I licensed to General Food’s Kool-Aid , Germany’s Capri-Sun , and to other multinationals. I was subsequently awarded over 100 patents. In 1991, I moved to the Netherlands, where I man-

aged an advertising agency for several years. I took particular offense to the perpetrators of this evil act that occurred on September 11, 2001. I decided to use my cultural knowledge of Arabic and Muslim societies to help root-out the bad apples, and proudly joined TSA. In April of 2010, the White House ordered a stop to all secondary screening based on nationality, mostly Muslim countries. Secondary screening of passengers will instead be “Intelligence-based.” THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE BOOK DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF TSA, DHS OR THE US GOVERNMENT.

R R

William Touzani

Department of Homeland Securi? 3838 N. Sam Houston Parkway E.. Ste. 510 Houston. TX 77032

zb-fk Transportation ,(bc"-) 3, w q & - r ~ ~

security ,,;* Administration

Interoffice Memorandum

Date: March 18,201 1

To: William Touzani Transportation Security Officer (TSO) George Bush Intercontinental Airport - LAH

From: Hector Vela Deputy Federal Security Director George Bush Intercontinental Airport - IAH

Subject: Notice of Decision on Proposed Fourteen (14) Calendar Day Suspension

Reference: 1 1 -0880/Central/IAH

This is a notice that I have decided to suspend you fiom duty, without pay, for fourteen (14) calendar days beginning on March 27,20 1 1. You are to return to duty on April l0,20 1 1, at 1 130 hours. This action is being taken to promote the efficiency of the service and is based on the following.

On February 12,201 1, you received a written Notice of Proposed Fourteen (14) Calendar Day Suspension fiom Walter P. Filipiak, Deputy Assistant Federal Security Director for Screening, based on your failure to follow agency policy and failure to protect Sensitive Security Information (SSI). That notice advised you of your right to make an oral and/or written reply.

You chose not to make an oral reply. On February 18,201 1, I received your written response, in which you stated that you made sure to the best of your ability that no SSI was released in the books. You claimed that all the information in the books was well known to the public, particularly frequent travelers and airline crewrnembers. You also stated that the books were self-published, and that while the books were available on the internet, the public had no way of learning their existence. Thus, you claimed that no SSI was ever leaked to the public. You also stated that a 14-day suspension is excessive because the book was supposed to be a tribute to TSA.

I have carefully reviewed and considered all the evidence of record, including your written response. After considering all of the evidence, I have determined that you committed the offenses with which you are charged. I note that you did not dispute that you published and

offered for sale two books relating to TSA and your duties as a TSO without following the agency's policy on written articles. I also note that MD 1100.73-5 specifies that employees shall not disclose SSI. In addition, the SSI regulations at 49 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) 5 1520.9(a)(2) specifically provide that employees may disclose, or otherwise provide access to, SSI only to covered persons with a need to know. By providing the two books to Xlibris and Amazon for public sale, you disclosed or otherwise provided access to SSI to unauthorized persons. That is the issue with these books - the unauthorized release of SSI - not the positive or negative reflections on your work experiences. While you claim that you made sure that no SSI was released, you are neither qualified nor authorized to determine whether information is SSI.

Since I have determined that you committed the offenses with which you are charged, I have analyzed your case to determine whether the penalty is reasonable and will serve to promote the efficiency of the service. In determining the appropriateness of the penalty, I considered the following factors.

I agree with the proposing official that the offenses you committed are serious and are directly related to your duties as a TSO. As a TSO, you are expected to perform your duties in compliance with the agency's policies and procedures. In addition, our agency is tasked with providing and maintaining the highest level of security possible for the traveling public, airports, and airlines. Your actions in failing to follow agency policy prior to publishing your books and providing unauthorized persons with access to SSI could have severely compromised the agency's mission and are clearly related to your duties. Consequently, your actions have caused me to question your judgment. I also note that before you published both books, your supervisors informed you of the requirements for publishing information related to your TSA employment. Yet, you still published both books. I considered as a mitigating factor that you have no prior disciplinary actions. I also considered as a mitigating factor that you immediately removed the first book from publication after management instructed you to do so. However, I also considered that you published the same book under a different title shortly after management instructed you to remove the first book from publication. In addition, the second book is still listed for sale on Arnazon.com.

After considering all of the evidence and the aggravating and mitigating factors, it is my decision that the reason for this action is supported by a preponderance of the evidence, and that a fourteen (14) day suspension from duty and pay is the appropriate level of discipline, is warranted, and promotes the efficiency of the service. A Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting your suspension will be placed in your Official Personnel Folder and a copy forwarded to you for your records.

You must turn in your badges, and during your suspension, you will not be authorized to access any TSA facilities without an appointment. You also will not be authorized to work overtime during pay period 05-201 1.

You are cautioned that any repetition of this offense, or any other act of misconduct, could result in more severe disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Federal service.

This is a final decision. You may seek review of this decision under the TSA Grievance procedures or Peer Review procedures, but not both.

If you elect to grieve this matter under the procedures outlined within TSA MD No. 1 100.77-2, Grievance Procedures, your grievance must be filed within fifteen (1 5) calendar days of your receipt of this decision letter. A copy of MD No. 1 100.77-2 is attached.

If you elect Peer Review under the procedures outlined within the HCM 771 -3 and attached Handbook, your request for Peer Review must be filed within fifteen (1 5) calendar days of receipt of this decision letter. Your request must be in writing and must include a copy of this decision letter. You may submit your request via facsimile to 571 -227-259 1. If you would like to file your request electronically or by mail, please contact the Peer Review Support Ofice at 571-227-5065 for additional filing information. A copy of the HCM 771-3 and Handbook are attached.

If you would like to explore the possibility of engaging in mediation with management, you should contact the Peer Review Support Office at 571-227-5065 within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of this letter.

If you need assistance in dealing with any personal matters, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to provide confidential counseling services and can be reached at 800-222-0364.

3-/J- 2d/ J

Date DFSD

Attachments: TSA MD No. 1 100.77-2, Grievance Procedures HCM 771-3, Peer Review and Handbook

cc: Employee Relations

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Houston, TX 77032

Transportation Security

ND 5 Administration

Date: September 21,201 1

To: William Touzani Transportation Security Officer (TSO) George Bush Intercontinental Airport - IAH

From: Samuel Lima Assistant Federal Security Director for Screening (AFSD-S) George Bush lntercontinental Airport - IAH

Subject: Notice of Proposed Removal

Ref: # I 1-81 91/Central/lAH

You are hereby no'tified .that I am proposing to remove you from your position of Transportation Security Officer (TSO), SV-1802-E, to promote the efficiency of the service. If a decision is made to remove you, it will not be made or effective earlier than seven (7) calendar days from the date you receive this letter. This proposal is based on the following:

Charqe 1: Displaying Offensive Material in the Work Place

Specification: On August 13, 201 I, just prior to your shift in-brief, you posted a 8x10 inch poster on the Terminal A-South break room wall featuring a picture collage that you had created of some of your co-workers in your work area. The pictures of your co-workers included conversation bubbles that contained offensive remarks associated with the individual officers' age, race, sexual orientation, and religion. During the in-brief, you pointed out the poster to Lead TSO (LTSO) Tamera Butler, urging her to view it. After the in-brief, LTSO Butler viewed the poster, informed you she found the information you attributed to her photo was racially offensive, and she removed the poster immediately from the wall.

Charqe 2: Failure to Follow Instructions

Specification: As mentioned above, on August 13, 201 1, you were instructed by both your supervisor and your manager to put the poster away and not to display it again in the work place after LTSO Butler reported she was offended by the content of the collage to the supervisor. However, on or about August 15, 201 1,

you brought this poster back to work and shared it with TSO Samuel Dunlap and TSO Gloria Johnson.

Your actions violated TSA Management Directive (MD) 1100.73-5, Employee Responsibilities and Conduct, which requires employees to conduct themselves in a manner that does not adversely reflect on TSA, or negatively impact its ability to discharge its mission, cause embarrassment to the agency or cause the public and/or TSA to question the employee's reliability, judgment or trustworthiness. This MD also provides that TSA is committed to providing a work environment free from unlawful discrimination and where the contributions of all employees are supported and encouraged without regard to non-merit factors. All conduct niust be appropriate and supportive of a model work environment and expressing stereotypical views that reflect negatively on a particular group or individual, or displaying and/or distributing offensive material that ridic~nle or defame a particular group is prohibited in the workplace. Further, the MD req~ires employees respond promptly and fully comply with directions and instructions received from their supervisor or other management officials

In determining the appropriateness of this proposal, I considered a number of factors. I considered the nature and seriousness of the offenses and their relation to your duties. In your position as a TSO, you are responsible for performing screening duties to help ensure the security and safety of passengers traveling at IAH. In order to accomplish TSAs mission to provide security at the airports, you are expected to work with a diverse group of individuals as a team. Accordingly, it is crucial that the public, the agency, and the local management team have complete trust and confidence that you will perform your duties in accordance with TSA policies, and as instructed. Your actions of displaying offensive photos and captions of your co-workers and your failure to follow instructions are serious offenses with a clear relation to your duties.

I considered your past employment record and disciplinary history. I note that from March 27,201 I, through April 10,201 1, you served a fourteen (14) day suspension for your failure to follow agency procedures and your failure to protect Sensitive Security Information (SSI) after you wrote, published, and offered for public sale a book that related to TSA and yol-lr duties as a TSO, without first obtaining the approval of your actions ,through your supervisor or submitting your book to the Office of Strategic Conimunica~tions and Public Affairs (SCPA) in accordance with policy. Additionally, I note that in February 2003, an administrative inquiry was conducted based on allegations that you had made inappropriate remarks towards a coworker. InMarch 2003, you were notified in writing that inappropriate remarks about other co-workers in the workplace were unacceptable.

I also considered the effect your actions have on my confidence in your ability to perform at a satisfactory level. As an employee of TSA, you are held to high standards of conduct and performance. As noted above, you are also expected to promote and support .the agency in creating a model work environment. Your actions reflect a failure to meet the standard expectatio~is of a TSO, and thus, have diminished my confidence in your ability to perform your duties in a satisfactory manner.

Finally, I considered the clarity with which you had been warned about tlie conduct in question. As a TSA employee, ~ O I J have been notified of the policy governing employee responsibilities and conduct, and the agency's expectation that employees help promote and support a work environme~it free from displaying offensive material that ridicules or defames a particular group or individuals. In addition, as noted above, you have been placed on written notice in the past that employees are expected to treat others with dignity and respect. Additionally, and also as noted above, you recently served a fourteen (14) day suspension for other serious misconduct related to your failure to follow agency procedures, and your failure to protect the unauthorized disclosure of SSI. With this action, you were warned that future misconduct could lead to more severe action, up to and incll~ding removal from Federal service. Thus you knew, or should have known, that your actions violated TSA policies and that your removal from your position could result.

This notice is a proposal and not a decision. You have the right to reply to this proposal orally and/or in writing and furnish any evidence in support of your reply within seven (7) calendar days after the date you receive this proposal. Consideration may be given to extending this time limit if you submit a written request stating your reasons for needing more time. Your written reply and any supporting evidence should be sent to the Deciding Official, Acting Deputy Federal Security Director (A-DFSD), George Henderson at 3838 N. Sam Houston Parkway, E. Ste. 510, Houston, TX, 77032. You may make arrangements to meet with Mr. Henderson by contacting Billy Cantu at 281- 848-2940.

You have the right to be represented by an individual of your choice in preparing and presenting any reply. If you choose to have a' representative, you must provide your representative's name in writing to Mr. Henderson before the expiration of the reply period and you must provide written notice of any change in representation. Management has the right to disallow your representative if the representation creates a conflict of interest or position or, where the representative is a TSA employee, if he or she cannot be spared because of critical TSA work. You are responsible for all costs associated with your representation, including any travel expenses.

You and your representative, if an agency employee, will be allowed a reasonable amount of official time to assist you in your reply, to review the material relied upon to support the reason for the proposed action, and to prepare and present your written and/or oral reply. You and your representative, if a TSA employee, must contact an immediate s~~pervisor to make advance arrangements for the use of official time.

I have attached the material relied on to support this proposed removal action.

You will be notified in writing of the final decision. You will remain on duty until you are notified of the final decision in this matter.

If you need assistance in dealing with any personal matters, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to provide confidential counseling services. EAP can be reached by calling 1-800-222-0364.

r )

AFSD-S

Attachments: Itemized list of the material relied on l'vlaterial relied on

cc: Employee Relations

1

September 27, 2011

To: George Henderson Acting Deputy Federal Security Director (A-DFSD)

From: William Touzani, TSO

Re: Proposed Removal Response with the collaboration of supervisor Katherine

Pennington.

I have been friends with everyone in the picture that sparked this controversy for years.

I will tell you no one took offence to the captions except Tamera Butler, and her

apparent dislike for a hair color.

From the beginning, I had made it clear that my intention was to personalize this collage

poster for each officer. In the short time I had to design the picture, I tried to write

something funny in each officer’s caption, to give the officers an idea of what space they

would have to design their own caption. I did not think of having to be formal in this

exercise with my co-workers. They all were aware of my, sometimes, odd sense of

humor.

For several years I have been friends with Tamera Butler, close enough that she had

even asked my 16 year old son to date her niece. However, my recent discussions

with her revolved solely about her converting to Islam and her active reading of

the Koran; subjects I am very knowledgeable in even as a non-practicing Muslin.

A day before the picture incident, and in spite of my dissuasions, she had

admitted to me her decision to convert to Islam.

I believe Tamera is only seeking attention from TSA’s upper management. She decided

to take advantage of the high profile controversy I had with upper management

regarding my books publication, to get her name noticed.

This is also her way of punishing me for trying to dissuade her from converting to

Islam; she realized that I discovered her real reasons behind this conversion to

Islam. She simply wanted to embrace Islam to use it as another discrimination

card against TSA, for some future confrontations that she admitted were in the

pipeline.

She constantly bragged about not going through the chain of command but instead she

takes her grievances with TSA directly to the FSD Ann Testa.

2

Chronology of events of August 11, 2011

I took to work a very small camera that I had just received from Amazon. I wanted to

test it in case I needed to send it back.

In the break room, 15 min. before shift start time, Donna Ali was showing me how the

camera works. I asked various officers if I could take their pictures and proposed if they

were interested I would make a collage of the pictures for anyone that wants one. One

officer Max Rodriguez declined to have his picture but helped me by taking a picture of

me with other officers. I snapped a picture of the Supervisor Katherine Pennington

before she started the daily briefing.

I have made similar collages at different checkpoints over the years and there has never

has it been a problem. In fact it was very much appreciated.

Tamera Butler was particularly excited about the idea, as she was well aware of my

Graphic design background. Tamera insisted on viewing her pictures before hand and

had me retake more pictures. I assured her that she should not worry as I would make

her look good with my special effects techniques. To my surprise, Tamera also posed

as a GANG member, hand signs and all (copy attached).

At the end of all this excitement, the briefing started on time, at 11:30 am.

Chronology of events of August 13. 2011

At home, it took me 2 hours to assemble the collage. The pictures were of low quality as

the flash had failed to work. I decided to use funny captions to jazz it up, that can be

easily edited according to officer’s wishes. On the way to work, I stopped at Walgreen’s

to make 2 copies.

Arriving early to work, having a couple of officers leave their finger prints all over the

photograph, I decided to hang the 8 x 10 picture on the wall for the incoming officers to

view, without having to hold and touch it.

All officers, including Supervisor Bernard Murphy and the LTSOs came into the break

room and reviewed the picture and gave various comments. Many found it hilarious.

They all were focused on the words Muslim and Shalom than Tamera’s Blonde

comment. No one asked for the picture to be removed. Tamera was sitting next to me

for the entire briefing, lasting over 20 minutes. Tamera insisted on her copy of the

picture as I had promised everyone.

At the end of the briefing, as we started exiting the room, she suddenly decided to view

the picture again as I was ready to remove it from the wall, and put it in my bag. Tamera

3

screamed at me and said “Take it down… take it down. You should know me better

that”, and stormed out of the break room.

I asked her repeatedly what the matter was and received no answer. I then explained

that I forgot to make her look slimmer in the picture and that I could easily fix it with

Photoshop.

An hour later, TSM Alfred West viewed the picture and made the following comment:

“The only thing wrong with this picture is that I’m not in it!”

No one else took any offence to the picture, and they all wanted to have a copy. I was

given several personal emails to send it to. At no time was I asked not to show the

picture again as it remained in my bag for several more days.

Two days later Wendy Devillier told me that she overheard Tamera tell co-workers that

she was offended by the words used in her caption. The caption said “I hate blondes”.

Wendy told me that she heard Tamera also say “I am a good Christian and I don’t

hate any one”. Up to that time, I had no idea of what was offensive to her in the

picture.

I had repeatedly explained to everyone that the picture was to be personalized for each

officer, making desired changes to captions before emailing it to them. Regardless, I

apologized again and asked her to tell me what she wanted written in her caption

instead of the caption I inserted. Tamera never replied to my questions.

To this day, I still fail, along with everybody else, to see what so offensive about

the caption: “I hate blonds”. It just happened that she was standing next to a blond

in her picture. That was the joke. After all, no one could seriously think that she or

anyone else could hate Wendy Devillier who has blond hair and was standing next to

her in the picture! I fail to see how a hair color can be racist or offensive! Had Wendy

been a brunette, the caption would have said, “I hate brunette’s.”

I had the option of using the picture where she posed as a GANG member, but I was

afraid it may get her in trouble, and cause TSA embarrassment.

I understand the policy of not posting material that contains offensive remarks

associated with various age, race, sexual orientation and religion. That said however,

this college does not meet the standard of having done so.

I understand what racial tension is as I have often at the beginning of each bid

had to make my co-workers aware of my Arabic/ Muslim background, doing so

heads off any embarrassing situations that often aroused from unknowing and

unintended discriminatory remark. During my first year with TSA often I could

have filed a dozen actions due to the religious and racial slurs.

4

My mentioning of the words Muslim, Shalom, is my way of getting the co-workers to

lighten-up. The Checkpoint is often a place where racial tensions and personal conflicts

are so high that, we’re more concerned about the enemy we perceive next to us, than

the enemy outside the gates. As to other captions:

In the case of Wendy Devillier, I commented about her healthy appetite resulting

from her quitting smoking with the names of the best cooks on the checkpoint.

For Sam Dunlap, I remembered how he is always talking about the 4 and 3

schedules.

In the cases of Abraham, I remembered how he often protests not being a

Muslim as many passengers joked about him fasting during Ramadan. Abraham

is a Christian Indian but is often mistaken for a Muslim.

Moses and I have spent many hours over the years discussing the Middle East

and Israel. “Shalom” seemed like the perfect fit.

For Katherine Pennington she always says “She would only want to be younger

if she could keep what she has learned by getting to this age”.

In my defense:

I was not told that I could not show the picture after the initial display of the

photograph. I was only told not to post anything personal in the common break

room as “no one could predict what could possibly be offensive and to whom”.

The TSM Alfred West comment upon viewing the collage was “The only thing

wrong with this picture is that I am not in it”. No other conversations regarding

this matter were ever made.

TSO Tamera Butler never told me what was offensive to her. I assumed that she

did not like the way she looked in the photo. I was going to photo-shop the

picture to make her look slimmer.

I do not believe that this college of pictures and captions meets the standard of

being offensive and certainly not the caption that Tamera reacted to.

There were no negative stereotypical views, defamation, or ridicule reflected on

any group or individual.

TSA’s sighting that I displayed offensive photos and captions is completely

unfounded. Smiling officers in uniform do not make offensive photographs, quite

the contrary.

5

I did not disobey any instruction given by my Supervisors Katherine Pennington,

Bernard Murphy nor my manager (TSM) Alfred West.

In conclusion, I believe that TSA has less drastic means to settle misunderstandings of

this sort. As an Arab / Muslim American, if I chose to report every racially inflammatory

remark made by co-workers over the years to be subjected to the same standards

applied to me, TSA would have to remove/fire half the workforce.

Over the years I have made several collages very similar to this one for my co-workers.

Never has there been any problem ( e.g. PJ Patel, TSM). I suspect that Tamera Butler

has multiple agendas working here.

I feel TSA actions here to be nothing but a witch-hunt, and continuing retaliation and

retribution by TSA for my previous suspension regarding the “unauthorized publications

of my books”.

I hope that TSA would reconsider its proposal for removal, and I look forward to retire

from TSA with pride and dignity.

Sincerely,

William Touzani Date signed: