Fri, Mar 05, 2010
Jim Maurer Claims He Was Ousted Over Security Concerns He
Raised
Jim Maurer, the former head of security at O'Hare
International Airport in Chicago says he was fired from his job
because he raised security concerns, and has filed a lawsuit for
compensation and reinstatement.
Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolina says Maurer was fired
because he "physically attacked" one of her top aides, Ellen
O'Connor. But Maurer claims that she made up the charge, going so
far as to have O'Connor file a "false police report" because she
wanted to get rid of him.
The Chicago Sun Times reports that Maurer claims that every time
he brought up security issues, Andolina "didn’t want to hear
about it. It all cost money. It interfered with their O’Hare
Modernization Program. That’s all they care about.” He
said O'Hare is the least secure airport in the country, and that
the commissioners dismissed his concerns out of hand. He cited his
efforts to convince Andolina to move a communications hub away from
the terminal core as one example of suggestions that were
disregarded.
But he said the largest issue is that private vehicles are
allowed to park on the secure side of the airfield. Maurer said TSA
has warned O'Hare twice about letting airline employees park in the
northwest hangar area, but that the practice continues because the
commission does not want to upset the airlines.
In his lawsuit, Maurer is asking for $2 million in damages for
what he says was a "retaliatory discharge" and slander. Chicago
Mayor Richard Daley dismissed Maurer's allegations out of hand,
calling the former Chicago Police Department chief-of-patrol
"disgruntled." He said O'Hare is a "good airport" and "perfectly
safe."
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