One of the most important national security stories covered in my column and on this blog has been the ongoing turmoil at the Federal Air Marshal Service under Director Thomas “Queeg” Quinn.

When last we visited the beleaguered bureaucracy, Quinn was shepherding his celebrity friend Lyle Lovett around the FAMS top-secret training facility and blabbing to CNN about marshals’ security procedures. Now, relentless Washington Times reporter Audrey Hudson reveals that FAMS higher-ups may have apparently fudged marshals’ flight statistics in a bid to inflate the number of planes covered by the service.

Flight reports by the Federal Air Marshal Service show that federal agents were on less than 10 percent of the nation’s flights in December, a number several air marshals say was inflated to make it appear to Congress that commercial air travel is better protected than it is.

“The numbers reported to headquarters come back higher than originally reported and are sometimes upwards of double the number of what is actually flown,” an air marshal said. “Everyone knows they are padding the numbers.”

For several weeks, rumors have been flying about Quinn’s impending resignation or firing. If Hudson’s story pans out, this may be the final nail. Hudson’s piece comes just as the new DHS chief Michael Chertoff has announced a top-to-bottom total review of operations. More on FAMS’ woes at Federal Times.

Meanwhile, two marshals inform me that Quinn sacked a special agent in charge yesterday who was popular among the rank-and-file. Last-ditch retaliation? Will check it out.

Stay tuned…