Nathaniel Lee Kenwanyama, 22, is a convicted rapist. He also, until a few days ago, was a baggage screener at Houston's Hobby Airport. He most likely would still be, had he not, last Saturday night, fired some shots at some folks and tried to set an apartment on fire. He's being charged with attempted capital murder, three counts, and arson.

He's been employed by a Houston-based firm, Maxaero, for the last six months. It's pretty obvious that the mandated background checks were never performed, as it would have been fairly easy to ferret out first, that he'd been fired from his previous job as a jail guard after his background came to light, and second, that he'd spent five years in a juvenile detention facility.

Maybe the folks at Maxaero, who have security contracts at airports in three states, are just good-hearted folks that want to give a guy a second chance. If so, I hope their compassion lands them in jail along with their rehab project. We've been treated to the sight of several corporate execs being led away in handcuffs over the last few weeks. I'd like to see whoever's (not) running Maxaero added to the parade. Mineta, if you're listening, here's a good candidate to make an example of.

Especially since this is not their first problem. The local TV station that reported the Kenwanyama story, earlier this year investigated the firm. Maxaero hired one of the station's young production assistants. His background was never checked, his references weren't called, and he was never even questioned as to his mental stability or criminal record. That story is here.

Oh, and during his training, he was taught several "secrets" of the security process. Secrets that it seems are not hard for a potential bomber to learn. All you have to do is fill out an application.

Unsurprisingly, Maxaero refuses to talk to the press about either incident. Perhaps a subpoena or two could loosen their tongues, and tighten their hiring policies.

He could start with the CEO, Willard Sumner. Earlier this year, when the process of federalization made it look like his company might lose some business, he said that it would be "devastating," and "put them out of business."

We can only hope.

Sumner then went on to say: ``We've worked hard to build a company that doesn't have the bad reputation that other companies have." I think you can quit worrying about your reputation now.

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