Head of new Transportation Security Administration resigns

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's choice to head the new agency dedicated to improving airline security was forced out Thursday amid criticism he failed to adequately consult with Congress and airport officials.

John Magaw, 66, cited health reasons for resigning as head of the Transportation Security Administration. But an administration official with knowledge of the situation said Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta asked Magaw to leave.

Taking his place will be Adm. James Loy, Magaw's deputy who previously served as Coast Guard commandant.

Magaw did not cite any of the criticism in his resignation letter to Bush.

"Unfortunately, my health will simply not permit me to continue to give the energy and effort to this task that is required to see it to completion," Magaw wrote. He had angioplasty in April to clear a clogged artery.

Magaw is a former head of the Secret Service who as an agent protected President Bush's father. He is considered close to the Bush family.

"The president very much appreciates the job that John Magaw did, taking an agency that had no structure, no formation, no form to it and making great strides and progress on behalf of the country and the traveling public," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

A senior White House official said Bush remains a strong supporter of Magaw. The official said Magaw did not get along with Mineta and when the secretary sought his resignation, the White House did not intervene.

Magaw, once head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, was praised for his stewardship when he took over the troubled agency following the ATF's confrontation with followers of David Koresh in Waco, Texas.

He came under fire on Capitol Hill for his leadership of the new transportation agency, created in November. Also, his efforts to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for inspecting all checked bags for explosives brought him into conflict with airport executives.

The airport officials said they were not consulted, even as they faced huge construction bills for renovating terminals to accommodate the minivan-sized equipment.

"It was more a law enforcement attitude: We know our mission, we see our mission, this is what we're going to do, get out of our way," said Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee.

"He put that security tape around TSA and said, 'Keep out, we're doing our job.' You can't do that in the public arena."

Lawmakers criticized Magaw for initially planning to hire more than 70,000 employees. The Transportation Department inspector general reported that 31 of 39 lawyers and 18 of 30 criminal investigators were being paid more than $100,000 a year.

When Magaw's agency asked for more than $4 billion in the supplemental spending bill, Republicans and Democrats alike complained that he did not provide any information to support his request.

In addition, more than 300 House members voted last week to overturn Magaw's decision to prohibit pilots from carrying guns in airplane cockpits. The Bush administration opposes arming pilots.

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On the Net:

Transportation Security Administration: http://www.tsa.dot.gov