The TSA just gets worse and worse.

Scott MacFarlane of Cox Media reports that a TSA agent exposed a 17-year-old girl’s breasts during a pat-down at LAX. The girl is said to be the grandniece of Texas Rep. Ralph Hall.

Rep Ralph Hall says TSA officer "should've been fired" for patting down- and disrobing- his 17 y/o niece at LAX. Girl was wearing sundress — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

But the agent wasn’t fired. Why? Because the TSA said it was, like, totally an “accident.”

TSA deemed incident involving Rep Ralph Hall's niece "accidental" Girl disrobed in front of her Christian youth group at LAX checkpoint — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Sure, because it’s super easy to accidentally expose a young woman’s breasts to the public during a routine pat-down. Sounds a lot like sexual abuse to us.

Since LAX is in Rep. Maxine Waters’ district, Hall asked her to submit a complaint to the TSA.

US Rep Ralph Hall asked Rep Maxine Waters to file complaint with TSA & LAX (Waters' district) about disrobing of Hall's niece at checkpoint — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA report on Rep Ralph Hall's niece incident: "during patdown of stomach area, sundress slipped down to her stomach, revealing her breasts" — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Rep Maxine Waters (D-CA), in complaint to TSA, says 17 y/o niece of colleague Rep Ralph Hall had "dress pulled down..exposing her to public" — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA officer apologized… internal investigation launched — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

The officer “apologized.” Really. A TSA agent slipped a teenage girl’s dress off and “accidentally” exposed her breasts and is forced to … apologize? Let’s hear it for union contracts!

Update:

Rep Ralph Hall (R-TX) says his niece was en route with church group to Australia when she had incident w/ TSA. — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA is forwarding us surveillance footage of incident. We WILL NOT USE IT ON-AIR. Angle shows back of 17 y/o girl. — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

We will not view surveillance footage in-house either — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Rep Ralph Hall says niece's incident w/ TSA was "brutal" – girl's father filed formal complaint. 17 y/o girl was wearing sundress at time. — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA statement to COX TV: "We regret the incident..caused embarrassment of young lady" Would it have come to light if uncle weren't US Rep? — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Great question.

Update:

TSA security video of its "accidental" disrobing on 17 y/o niece of Rep Ralph Hall thankfully has poor camera angle. Only her back revealed — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA incident involving niece of Rep Ralph Hall (R-TX) only surfaced in Freedom of Info. Act request we made.Agency declining most folo-up Qs — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Rep Maxine Waters' letter to TSA:17 y/o niece of Rep Ralph Hall "was distraught & devastated" by being subjected to front nudity in pat-down — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

TSA review of case of 17 y/o niece of Rep Ralph Hall says "loose fitting" nature of sundress is reason her breasts were exposed in pat-down — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

So, she was asking for it because of the way she was dressed? Got it.

TSA says officer who subjected 17 y/o niece of Rep Ralph Hall to "frontal nudity" in pat-down was "counseled on professionalism" afterward — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Call us crazy, but isn’t not exposing a woman’s breasts without her consent just common decency? The agent doesn’t need “counseling on professionalism”; he needs to be punished.

Here's a link to the video of one of my stories on the TSA incident, disrobing of Rep Ralph Hall's 17 y/o niece- http://t.co/xJfyG4zf — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 20, 2012

Click the link in the previous tweet to watch the video. MacFarlane reports that the incident happened two years ago, but information about the probe into the TSA incident was just obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.

I asked @TSA how many "pat-down" complaints they received. Spokeswoman refused to answer, said file another "freedom of information act" — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Update, Wednesday, Nov. 21:

Reporter Scott MacFarlane released images of the TSA’s internal report today. The TSA did indeed blame the girl and her dress for the “embarrassing and unfortunate” accident.

It took 2 years for TSA to handover paperwork involving incident w/ Rep Ralph Hall's niece. Only via Freedom of Info Act. Will post today — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

17,153 passengers have filed formal complaints with TSA about their "pat-downs" since October 2009 — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Exclusive: TSA internal report into "frontal nudity" pat-down incident w/ niece of Rep Ralph Hall (page 1) pic.twitter.com/3z2etf2q — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Update:

The TSA refuses to answer questions about its communications with the teen girl and her family.

TSA declines to answer questions about its response/communications with family of Rep Ralph Hall.. because of LAX incident — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Update:

In a letter to Rep. Maxine Waters, the TSA said the officer who “screened” a 17-year-old girl’s sundress right off her shoulders was “counseled” on “professionalism and customer service.”

TSA's response to Rep Maxine Waters, about incident in which 17 y/o girl subjected to frontal nudity in pat-down at LAX pic.twitter.com/9MHFqD28 — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Update:

Evidently Rep. Hall’s family chose not to sue the TSA so they could maintain their privacy.

Rep Ralph Hall tells Texas newspaper he abandoned idea of litigation against TSA "for privacy reasons" Pat-down disrobed his 17 y/o niece — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Rep Ralph Hall — family considered lawsuit against TSA. Hall has some oversight of agency as chair of House Science Cmte. — Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 21, 2012

Reporter Scott MacFarlane has done excellent work exposing this incident of abuse by a TSA officer. Please follow him on Twitter at @MacFarlaneNews.