Posted on 01/23/2012 7:55:54 AM PST by Timber Rattler
Edited on 01/23/2012 9:29:31 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
(CNN) -- Authorities blocked U.S. Sen. Rand Paul at the Nashville airport Monday after the Kentucky Republican refused a pat-down at a security checkpoint, his spokeswoman said.
Paul went through a scanner at the airport and set off an alarm, said his spokeswoman, Moira Bagley. He wanted to go through the body scan again instead of getting a pat-down, but officers of the Transportation Security Administration refused, Bagley said.
Read more at cnn.com
Posted by Ron Paul on his Facebook page: "My son Rand is currently being detained by the TSA at the Nashville Airport. I'll share more details as the situation unfolds."
At Ron Paul’s facebook page.
Sounds like a stall tactic to me. Sounds like someone got a little more than power happy and they bit off more than they can chew.
If the TSA is saying that now, then they are trying to retreat.
3,000 comments and 4,500 likes in under 1 hour. All in response to 1 twit.
That's probably playing with the exact definition of "detained". Rand Paul might be legally allowed to leave the airport and abandon hopes of ever flying commercial flights again so he isn't officially "detained".
I wonder if Rand tried to pull "I'm a Senator", or if he didn't mention that ahead of time and then let the TSA twist itself into a knot over how can they let him fly without appearing to give him any favoritism. I think the supervisor would love to give him one pat, let him go and hope the whole thing disappears. I believe the Paul family doesn't let go of things like that so easily, especially now that this has hit the public.
The TSA should stick to doing what they do best, creating long lines because they believe they are powerful and stealing money and articles out of your luggage once it leaves your position.
Damaged multiplied because there are so many willing ears.
There's no need for name calling.
TSA the initials of our national prison buddy keepin us safe!
See posts #23 and #26.
OH!!!! Finally someone with standing! The TSA just might have picked on the wrong person.
They might be able to say that having a ticket is a wavier to search, but sounds like federal agents detained and questioned a U.S. Senator on the way to work. Regardless of the search issue, the questions were unconstitutional:
“They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.”
I will start off with Tom Harkin from Iowa.
I'm sure he does and is just giving TSA some more rope.
I believe that Rand likes to dress down (in street clothes and ball cap) when he travels, and so I doubt he did the "do you know who I am" routine, at least until after the TSA hauled him away to their private detention area at the airport. It's worth noting that he was apparently flying commercial like everyone else, rather than chartering a private flight, like say John Kerry.
TSA reports to no mortal, that is the problem.
If so, I hope he uses it.
More and more every day, this country begins to resemble a third-world banana republic.
Did you ever think you’d see the day in America when government agents would detain opposition politicians?
We need to reduce the size and scope of the federal government by at least 75%.
LOL, in the next 5 years its going to increase by 75% if not more.
If the TSA makes Rand miss his spaceship flight to visit his dad, there’s gonna be hell to pay.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.