A senior U.S. Air Marshal’s wife was falsely labeled a domestic terrorist and subjected to invasive surveillance after attending a Trump rally in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, despite no evidence of her involvement in unlawful activities, according to a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report detailing the Biden administration’s misuse of the Quiet Skies program.
The woman was added to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database and monitored by Federal Air Marshals on domestic flights for two years, with reports tracking her movements and interactions as frequently as every minute. Her name was only exonerated after the FBI dismissed its investigation due to a misidentification, Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) revealed in a press release.
The TSA’s Quiet Skies initiative, launched in 2010 to monitor travelers with suspicious behaviors or travel patterns, was canceled after failing to prevent any acts of terrorism. Tulsi Gabbard, a combat veteran and former congresswoman serving as Director of National Intelligence, was also surveilled on at least five flights in 2024, according to the report. The surveillance began shortly after she criticized Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Paul initiated an investigation into Quiet Skies in 2024 after allegations it was used to target dissenters of the Biden administration. The probe faced delays due to the administration’s refusal to share records, but documents were released following the Trump administration’s arrival. On June 5, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem terminated the program.
Paul’s “flash report” on the investigation highlighted how Quiet Skies allegedly targeted Americans without evidence, including three Republican lawmakers for lawful political activity, dozens of protesters, and hundreds who traveled to D.C. ahead of the January 6 protest.
“Quiet Skies was an unconstitutional dystopian nightmare costing taxpayers $200 million annually with no tangible security benefits,” Paul stated. The program failed to stop a single terrorist attack since its inception, he added.
A Senate hearing on “Examining the Weaponization of the Quiet Skies Program” featured whistleblower Mark Crowder, a senior Federal Air Marshal, who testified about his wife’s wrongful designation as a domestic terrorist. Christine Crowder, unable to walk long distances due to a disability, was falsely accused of entering the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
For over two years, she endured invasive surveillance, including secondary screenings and restrictions at airports, alongside her family. Crowder criticized TSA leadership for diverting resources from real threats to politically motivated missions, calling the agency’s actions a betrayal of post-9/11 promises.
Surveillance Scandal: U.S. Air Marshal’s Wife Wrongfully Targeted by Federal Agencies
