DEA paid Amtrak employee for passenger lists

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The Drug Enforcement Administration paid an Amtrak employee for passenger lists instead of working with Amtrak police, an inspector general's report said.

The employee, a secretary who chose to retire after her relationship with the DEA was uncovered, reportedly received $854,460 over almost two decades. The DEA payments began in 1995.

The quarterly report done by the Amtrak inspector general said that Amtrak police would have received the same amount in forfeited assets if the DEA had instead worked with the national rail passenger agency.

The information was discovered by a congressional staffer going through the quarterly report, which was dated June 30.

Legislators on both sides of the aisle criticized the DEA. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the ranking minority member on the Judiciary Committee, wrote DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart last week demanding more information on the payments.

Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., sent U.S. News and World Report an email calling for change at the DEA: "This is another reason why DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart needs to resign. Her department has misplaced priorities and appears to be running amok."