CBS 2's Dave Savini To Testify In Springfield On Friday

CBS 2's Dave Savini To Testify In Springfield On Friday

CHICAGO, March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CBS 2 investigative reporter Dave Savini will testify on Friday before the newly created State of Illinois Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Committee. State lawmakers want to tighten major security loopholes at O'Hare exposed during a six-month, hidden-camera investigation by Savini and CBS 2 producer Michele Youngerman.

As CBS 2 exclusively reported on February 5th, there are more than 3,700 missing employee security badges that have never been collected from former employees at the airport. This poses a glaring gap in security because an employee badge allows workers access to secure areas of the airport without passing through metal detectors or having their bags searched. CBS 2 showed in its hidden-camera video how someone can simply show the badge and bypass all airport security and even get onto the tarmac.

Savini and Youngerman's investigation prompted several significant reactions:

-- Congressman Mark Kirk expressed outrage on the floor of the House of
Representatives in Washington, D.C. and outlined a plan to take
immediate action to make the airports more secure. Kirk also contacted
the head of Homeland Security, held meetings with TSA officials and is
asking for fines to be instituted against companies who fail to collect
badges from former employees. (Video of Congressman Kirk's speech is
available on cbs2chicago.com:
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=30262@wbbm.dayport.com ).

-- The CBS 2 investigation and Kirk's meetings with TSA officials resulted
in recent security changes at the airport. The TSA has now instituted
increased screenings of airport workers with random security checks.

-- Dave Savini has been asked to testify in Springfield on Friday before
the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Committee to discuss
what his ongoing investigation has revealed.

Below are links to the investigations that aired on CBS 2 during the past five months. http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_053222917.htmlhttp://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_036223611.htmlhttp://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_320193256.htmlhttp://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_319220004.html

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: CBS 2 Chicago

CONTACT: Elizabeth Abrams of CBS 2 Chicago, +1-312-202-3465

Web site: http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=30262@wbbm.dayport.com
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_053222917.html
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_036223611.html
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_320193256.html
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/local_story_319220004.html

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