How a conservative congressman ended up on the terrorist no-fly list

Sacramento Bee ^ | December 10, 2015

[artichokegrower]

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock, a liberty-minded conservative and staunch defender of gun rights, took to the House floor on Thursday to warn the nation about the perils of strict firearms legislation, offering that “the most effective defense against an armed terrorist is an armed American.”

[artichokegrower]

I would like to put Obama on a no fly list

[fieldmarshaldj]

"I would like to put Obama on a no fly list"

After he has left the country.

[DaveA37]

Actually, the FBI SHOULD have odumbo on their no-fly listalready, he is supporting terrorism plus, we know absolutely nothing about him.

[DaveA37]

Actually, the FBI SHOULD have odumbo on their no-fly listalready, he is supporting terrorism plus, we know absolutely nothing about him.

[FourPeas]

Turns out that when he was in the state Senate a decade ago, McClintock said he discovered suddenly that he couldn't check into his flight.

"When I asked why, I was told I was on this government list," McClintock said, calling the whole experience "Kafkaesque."

"My first reaction was to ask, 'Why am I on that list?' 'We can't tell you that.' 'What are the criteria you use?' I asked. 'That's classified.' I said, 'How can I get off this list?' The answer was, 'You can't.'"

He said it ended up being a case of mistaken identity with an Irish Republican Army activist the "British government was mad at."

McClintock said he soon learned that a fellow state senator also had been placed on the list, as well as the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy. McClintock said he at least had the state Senate sergeant-at-arms to work through to clear up the confusion -- "something an ordinary American would not."

Still, he said it took months of working with officials and repeated petitions to the government to get his name removed.

I'm amazing at the people who don't realize the arbitrary way in which people can get on the no-fly list, or the hoops that an innocent American has to go through to get off it. The government secrecy concerning the no-fly list is simply not appropriate for a free people even without the threat of using it to deny constitutionally guaranteed rights.

[fieldmarshaldj]

IIRC, had he not been anointed as President-Dictator, he would not have been able to get high level security clearance because of his shady history and associations. Quite telling.

[joe fonebone]

thank you gwb...

and the republicans...

and those who supported the patriot act...

and socialists / communists everywhere

[JudyinCanada]

So all Obama would have to do is put anyone he wants to disarm on the no-fly list.

[Fiji Hill]

In one terrifying case, a man flying from the US to Japan found he was on the no-fly list during a stopover in Hawaii. Until his name was removed five days later, he was stranded there, with no way to get either to his destination or back to his home. Read more here.

[Michael.SF.]

fellow state senator also had been placed on the list, as well as the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.

I think Edward Kennedy was on the NO DRIVE list, not the NO FLY list.

That was John Kennedy Jr. that should have been on the no fly list.

[DugwayDuke]

“I would like to put Obama on a no fly list.”

How about we put him on the “No Lie List”. That would shut him up.

[4rcane]

it be so funny of obama was placed on the no fly list after he leave the country. Ohhh our mistake, give us a few weeks to sort it out.

[BillyBoy]

If there’s any “conservative” Congressman I’d consider for the no-fly list, it would be creepy Paulbot Palestinian Justin Amash. IRA pal Peter King would be a close second.

[556x45]

Hear hear!!!

[Rusty0604]

Tom is a good guy. He could have been governor instead of Arnold except the CA republican party told us he couldn’t win so vote for Arnold. A lot of good that did. Anyway, a good friend of mine is on that list so she really has to plan her flights way ahead of time to clear it all up.

[Rusty0604]

What an awful place to be stranded!

[Impy]

You could put “conservative” Walter Jones on there as well.

[mad_as_he$$]

I am surprised he got off that fast, no - actually shocked. I know a guy that has been trying for three years. He was the victim of identity theft and the thief sold some illegal weapons using his name and got busted. Well documented case and no progress.