In the days after the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead, airports were on high alert.
One flier was flagged by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after his travel companion on two flight reservations was identified by the FBI as a "known or suspected terrorist." The flier was placed in the "Quiet Skies" program.
"Quiet Skies" is a secret initiative launched during the Obama administration under which fliers believed to pose a potential threat receive additional screening, and even monitoring by federal air marshals, when they travel.
Once placed on the "Quiet Skies" list, getting off can be an ordeal, sometimes involving years of complaints and even legal action. But for this flier, it just took a couple of phone calls from his wife, US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
CBS News first broke the story Tuesday night.
"A US senator's spouse was placed on a government watchlist in 2023 after a surveillance program flagged his travel profile, but he was removed after the senator back-channeled with administration officials," sources familiar with the situation told CBS News.
"Shortly after New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen spoke with the Transportation Security Administration about her husband, William Shaheen, TSA officials removed him from a list of people subjected to additional scrutiny under TSA's 'Quiet Skies' domestic surveillance program."
In fact, not only was William Shaheen removed from the list for additional scrutiny, but CBS reports that he also received special treatment during future travel.
"[William Shaheen] was then placed on a different list, which excluded him from any future advanced screening, including random checks at airport TSA checkpoints, two of the sources said."
According to CBS News political reporter Jennifer Jacobs, "Some Americans undertake exhaustive efforts to get themselves removed from the Quiet Skies enhanced screening list — with some even engaging in protracted legal fights."
Thousands of Americans make the list, but many don't know why or how
The list has ensnared thousands of Americans, many of whom were unaware they were on it or why they were receiving additional screenings at the airport or being monitored when they flew.
One prominent person to make the list was former congresswoman — and future US Director of National Intelligence — Tulsi Gabbard.
The New York Times reports Gabbard was flagged for making a trip to the Vatican in 2024 organized by a European businessman. The Times did not name the businessman in its report. Gabbard went public with her experience to push the TSA to get her off the list.
Mr. Shaheen didn't need any extra effort — but he did get extra-special attention.
"On October 20, 2023, her husband was added to the 'secure flight exclusion list,' a VIP list that exempts a traveler from the security agency's vetting and surveillance programs, including random screenings," CBS reported.
William Shaheen's preferential treatment, arranged by his wife with a few phone calls to the Biden administration, isn't a political problem for Sen. Shaheen, who's retiring in 2026. But it is likely to highlight the "nepo baby" label that's already dogging their daughter Stefany Shaheen's candidacy in the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary.
Stefany Shaheen's record of public service is thin at best — one lackluster term on the Portsmouth City Council — but she's viewed as the frontrunner thanks to her family name.
Sen. Shaheen is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and, therefore, is well aware of the threats facing the US and the sacrifices some Americans make defending their nation from those threats.
Granite State Republicans tell NHJournal they aren't surprised.
"Ugh. Not shocked," one prominent Republican told NHJournal on background.
Dave Carney, a longtime Granite State GOP strategist, called the Shaheen story "typical of politicians."
"It's one set of rules for them, another set for the rest of us. What an abuse of power."