Washington ( CNN ) -- A senior administrator with the Federal Air Marshal Service has been removed from his leadership position while the agency investigates a `` culturally insensitive '' remark he made on a recent conference call , CNN confirmed Tuesday . John A. Novak , assistant director of the service , dismissed a black colleague 's suggestion that the agency hold regional meetings to improve communications by saying such meetings are `` nothing but traveling minstrel shows with people with banjos and guitars , '' said a senior government official familiar with the investigation . The reference to minstrel shows , in which white performers in blackface lampooned African Americans , was offensive , the senior official said . `` It was dumb . It was stupid . It was egregious , '' added the official , who spoke on condition of not being identified by name . The official was not authorized to speak about the case publicly . The controversy comes at a time when the new director of the air marshal service , Robert Bray , is trying to distance the agency from accusations that it is rife with racism , sexism and favoritism . In recent years , numerous federal air marshals -- plainclothes officers who protect planes from terrorists -- have complained of unequal treatment . Most famously , agents in the Orlando office complained that supervisors there used a `` Jeopardy Board '' game with terms that were offensive toward homosexuals and others . Officials with the federal Transportation Security Administration , which includes the air marshal service , confirmed Tuesday that Novak had been reassigned from his post as head of field operations , pending an investigation . `` TSA holds its employees to the highest professional standards , '' TSA spokesman Nicholas Kimball said . `` TSA and the Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Services takes any allegation of misconduct seriously and inappropriate actions will not be tolerated . '' The circumstances surrounding Novak 's comments , which he made during a conference call two weeks ago , are being investigated by TSA 's Office of Inspection , sources within the agency said . On Monday , Novak apologized in person to two special agents in charge who had been offended by the remark , said Fida Majzoub , another spokesperson for the air marshals service . Reached by CNN on Tuesday , Novak declined to comment , citing the ongoing investigation . Novak , a former Secret Service Agent , has served with the Federal Air Marshal Service since 2002 . Several officials who claimed lengthy work experience with Novak said he has no history of making racist or racially tinged comments . Novak recently helped coordinate a series of meetings with regional offices on how to handle Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints , one official said . Told of the incident by CNN , Jon Adler , the head of an association that represents rank-and-file air marshals , called the incident `` unacceptable . '' `` We all need to respect and abide by the zero tolerance policy in the government . In an instance where it 's coming from an executive , it 's sub-zero tolerance , '' said Adler , national president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association . `` It 's incumbent upon them as leaders to set an example , not violate it , '' Adler said . An internal e-mail obtained by CNN said Novak will become `` acting executive advisor '' at the TSA effective November 21 , pending a review by an internal board . CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report .
An investigation of the incident is under way . The official involved has been reassigned for now , TSA officials say . Reached by CNN , the official declines to comment .