FAA Memo: Feds Knew Low-Altitude NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic But Ordered It Be Kept Secret Anyway And Threatened Sanctions If It Was Revealed

CBS reports that "federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public. In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of 'the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes' in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out... The flyover -- apparently ordered by the White House Office of Military Affairs so it would have souvenir photos of Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background -- had President Obama seeing red. He ordered a probe and apologized."

In one sense, it's comforting to know that someone in the government realized what every half-wit would have found patently obvious, that a 747 flying at low altitude near the downtown Manhattan skyline would cause a terror scare. The government ordering it be kept secret and threatening federal sanctions is inexcusable. If anything, the government should have broadcast this flight as much as they possibly could so as to avoid any panic.

Another important question is why the governmnet, in an economic dowturn or even in an economic upturn, would waste taxpayer money flying empty planes around? Has the White House never heard of photoshop? Bloomberg.com reports that Air Force spokeswoman Vicki Stein said the flight cost taxpayers $328,835.

I also wonder if this kind of sheer stupidity had been shown by someone in the Bush administration whether the media would be covering this story differently?

Former Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend correctly described this flyover as "felony stupidity."

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