Posted on 11/17/2010 10:32:49 AM PST by markomalley
The head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) offered on Wednesday to have airport screeners come to Capitol Hill to give senators a pat-down so they could fully understand the mechanics of the newly deployed, controversial technique.
John Pistole told senators on the Senate Science, Commerce and Transportation Committee that he “insisted” on receiving the pat-down to “experience what that involves so that we would know before we rolled it out,” and added that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has gotten a pat-down as well.
“Honestly, any member who has not experienced that pat-down [and] who would like to do that — I would not offer it — but an experienced qualified security officer would be glad to do that,” Pistole said.
Pistole has been at the center of growing public concern about the new pat-down techniques, which he described as “clearly more invasive” than the traditional screening airline passengers have been used to. But, he said, the invasiveness is justified by the level and types of threats to the airline industry that he is privy to.
“Yes, it was more invasive than what I was used to,” said Pistole. “Of course, what’s in my mind … is what are the plots out there, how are we informed by the latest intelligence and latest technology and what do we need to do to ensure the American people that as they travel that we are being thorough.”
“So yes, it is clearly more invasive. The purpose of that is obviously to detect the type of devices that we had not seen before last Christmas. I am very sensitive to and concerned about people’s privacy concerns and I want to work through that as best we can.”
Pistole told a separate panel of senators yesterday that the pat-down technique is so thorough that, had it been used, it would have thwarted the suspected Christmas Day bomber, who allegedly hid an explosive device in his underwear.
He declined to go into specific details on Wednesday about what the pat-down technique entails, saying that he didn’t want to give “a road map to anybody” on how to defeat the technique.
Under new TSA rules, passengers are required to go through whole-body imaging systems. But because some people believe that the technology is too invasive, TSA officials give people the option of passing through a metal detector or receiving a pat-down, which some have said makes them feel like they’re being groped.
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) said he went through the whole-body imaging system and then received a pat-down before a recent flight. Pistole said he wasn’t sure how that would have happened under the current security guidelines in place at airports.
Pistole said he hopes that new screening technology will soon be available that will depict images of passengers that are more like stick-figures than the life-like representation currently produced by whole-body imaging systems, which have spurred privacy concerns.
Nearly all of the senators at Wednesday's hearing said they had received dozens, and in some cases hundreds, of phone calls from concerned constituents about the new screening procedures.
he should check out Lindy Graham first and submit a report.
By the end of decade passengers will be forced to drink a laxative and then sit on a clear glass toilet until they crap.
Bet ya ‘ol Barney will be first in line.
Just shaking up the legislator to get a feel for the future.
I have a better idea - have the Senators go through the x-ray screeners then show them the pictures and see if they approve of them - then pat them down - just because - you know, get the whole TSA effect......
When I see video of Malia and Sasha getting the pat down then I’ll change my mind that the ruling class are hypocrites.
>> By the end of decade passengers will be forced to drink a laxative and then sit on a clear glass toilet until they crap.
Speaking strictly for myself, by the end of the decade, it’ll probably feel so good to take a healthy crap, I may actually enjoy flying again. :-(
Wouldn’t be surprised if Napolitano came back for more.
“Check me out first, you’ll see I’m packing quite a pistol”
Want to give the full effect? Then post the TSA at the congresscritter’s entrance and have them go through the search every-single-time they enter the building. And don’t forget to have their families molested in front of them every time they visit.
He’s lucky he didn’t offer the pat-down to Bwanney.
LOL, that has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. They've got some super-secret technique for feeling people up.
Wow. They can check this, but not ANWR or the evidence against Clinton.
I’m waiting for a horse to get appointed...
Any pat-down the senators would recieve
under these conditions would certainly be
a ‘best-behavior’ deal with minimal groping.
Will Boxer volunteer to have her breasts
simultaneously groped and checked for lumps?
Load of crap.
If the senators are that interested,
book a flight for your family and go
through it in real time.
This is too funny, like these pat downs will be the pat downs they give to the public by the perverts. Anyone get their crotch a pat down? X-ray them all - they need the full effect.
Let them pat down and x-ray barry’s daughters and televise it.
No matter what kind of bullshit dog and pony show this NAZI Pistole puts on for Congress, the elite ruling class will never be subjected to the humiliation and threats us lowlife tax livestock will be subjected to.
We draw the line here, or we no longer even own our own bodies.
If these “security procedures” are the best our enlightened ruling class can come up with to deal with MUSLIM TERRORISM then they need to be replaced with competent people.
While they have Cholera going through Haiti we have insanity going through Washington.
Start with Mikulski.
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