Cincinnati Air Marshal Office included in explosive national report

CINCINNATI - An explosive report to be released on Thursday on the Federal Air Marshals Program focuses, in part, on alleged misconduct at the Cincinnati field office.

Florida Congressman Edolphus Towns has called the airport's office one of the worst in the nation. In 2010, Towns highlighted the Cincinnati office in a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security. 9 News obtained that letter, which says discrimination complaints were filed by seven employees in the Cincinnati office.

Two years ago, Cincinnati agent Nancy Leidner almost lost her security clearance. She claimed it was in retaliation for speaking up about sexual harassment. Six male agents then submitted affidavits supporting Leidner.

In two current lawsuits, agents claim they face retaliation for testifying as witnesses in that case.

"Generally, they'd be subject to improper investigations, maybe improper personnel decisions, or disciplinary actions that were not justified. And it was our contention that these were just used as a tool to go after them for speaking the truth," explained Covington attorney Shane Sidebottom.

The full report includes a 2010 employee survey from the Cincinnati office. It is scheduled to be released Thursday.