Homeland Security: Thank you, Ms. Pitt, for coming today. Would you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Pitt: Well, I'm from Red Wing, Minnesota, and previously worked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. I have great qualifications for your position as a security specialist in the Transportation Security Administration.
HS: What did you do at MnDOT?
Pitt: I was in charge of the agency's office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. As director, I was in charge of obtaining grants and developing MnDOT's emergency response, planning, training and exercises. It was a very important job, as I was making sure that my fellow Minnesotans were safe. I was making an annual salary of $84,600. Not bad!
HS: Why did you leave MnDOT?
Pitt: Well, when that bridge fell down in Minneapolis last year, I was at an unauthorized, state-paid trip to Washington, D.C. I decided to hang around out East for another 10 days anyway. I must have been good at my job, because my fellow Minnesotans responded remarkably well to the disaster.
HS: Wow, that's a very impressive story! Were you promoted again?
Pitt: No, actually they fired me. They said I misused state money by taking personal trips, violating state ethics policies, embarrassing the agency and abusing my state-paid cell phone. They also said I made 94 hours of personal calls from my cell phone. They think I should reimburse the state for $26,400 that I misspent. Also, for some reason, they think I should have immediately returned to Minnesota after the bridge collapsed!
