Rand Paul Detained At Nashville Airport

[onehandle]

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was detained Monday morning by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tennessee after refusing a full body pat-down.

"I spoke with him five minutes ago and he was being detained indefinitely," Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley said Monday morning. "The image scan went off, he refused patdown."

Paul's father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) tweeted out news of the incident, saying that there had been an "anomaly" with a body scanner.

"My son @SenRandPaul being detained by TSA for refusing full body pat-down after anomaly in body scanner in Nashville. More details coming," wrote presidential candidate Ron Paul on Twitter.

http://www.lex18.com/news/rand-paul-detained-at-nashville-airport

[annabanana]

1. How odd.. He objects to being frisked?

geez, welcome to the real America

[MADem]

99. He's more important that you. Or me. Or any of us "great unwashed."

He's a Senator.

He's...anointed.

That makes him "special." Better. An elite, doncha know...

If I had my way he'd be a ONE TERM Senator.

[nanabugg]

109. Had he been let through with a concealed weapon think of what the headlines would be.

I don't like being frisked either but these people are doing their job. No matter who you are they must keep with their instructions. How do they know that a Congressman is not there to ridicule the entire process? And it's an outright lie that TSA airport employees make $104,000 each a year. The Congresscritter just on TV just outright lied and no one is there to call him on it. That's how the GOP gets to turn the public against their own government...THEY originate the "class warfare" by their lying and distortions. But there will be no counter to his appearance setting the record straight. That's what government workers all across the nation face while they attempt to do their job honestly and correctly. You never hear about the government employees who are political appointees and who come in making the top salary scale and only have to work three years to add that salary on to their retirement computations. You never hear that many of these political appointees are not seasoned executives with lots of relevant experience. Many times they are simply the hardest campaign workers and the folks who donated the most. They work inside government to give their very own government a bad name with the people its serves.

[jberryhill]

2. Ron? or Rand?

Another thread here says it was Rand.

Are you sure they said "Ron"?

Maybe it was Merle Haggard.

[onehandle]

7. Yes, it's Rand. Fixed. nt

[Ptah]

3. Rand Paul Detained At Nashville Airport

http://www.lex18.com/news/rand-paul-detained-at-nashville-airport

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was detained Monday morning by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tennessee after refusing a full body pat-down.

"I spoke with him five minutes ago and he was being detained indefinitely," Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley said Monday morning. "The image scan went off, he refused patdown."

Paul's father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) tweeted out news of the incident, saying that there had been an "anomaly" with a body scanner.

[obamanut2012]

5. It would be interesting if he was armed

How they would handle it, compared to me or you.

[hlthe2b]

4. NO... It was Senator Rand Paul--detained by TSA in Nashville

[yardwork]

6. It's Rand. Please edit your subject line.

This was probably staged by Ron to give him a boost in Florida. It's Ron's turn to win a primary!!!

[sharp_stick]

8. I will forgive the TSA

every delay they've caused me if only they Tase &/or Pepper Spray this weasely little shit.

[xchrom]

9. +1! nt

[ewagner]

77. I vote for pepper spray! n/t

[valerief]

96. Bwah!

[handmade34]

10. as the mother of a daughter

just hired as a TSA (not Nashville)... I'm glad she doesn't have to deal with this guy...

[bklyncowgirl]

14. Yes, imagine you're a poor little TSA agent confronting a pissed off US Senator

I don't predict a long, successful career for that agent.

[HopeHoops]

11. "I'm not an Amurkin. I'm a normal guy, an important sort of guy."

[wilt the stilt]

12. He's above the law. didn't you know that

If I was the manger i would strip search with full cavity probe. It would shut him up once and for all. Well, maybe not actually shut him up as I am sure there would be a high pitched whine.

[KansDem]

28. "...i would strip search with full cavity probe"

Then I'd conveniently "forget" where I left my flashlight pen!

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Shouldn't he be in D.C.?

The Senate was supposed to reconvene....

[alfredo]

23. The Reps are having a meeting, so there will be little, if any, work done.

It was just a way to extend their vacations.

[AnneD]

80. Yes they are...

and TSA just violated the Constitution. Some one is in deep doodoo. Representitives cannot be detained while going to Congress....for good reason. Peoples representitive cannot be detained from carrying out their duties. Ron Paul has come out against TSA and I am sure it would be the first agency he would cut from the budget.

[awoke_in_2003]

94. "Representitives cannot be detained while going to Congress"

I hate both Pauls, but you are spot on- they cannot be detained while on congressional business.

[AnneD]

110. I have discovered that ...

politics is not linear, but circular. Those that espouse liniar politics are playing one against the other to retain power. I am not so quick to dismiss some folks, esp if they stand on a principal, esp the Constitution.

YMMV

[LibDemAlways]

15. Many people object to being manhandled at the airport. As much

as I detest most of what the Pauls stand for, I agree with them that TSA is abusive and needs to be reigned in. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[EC]

18. Rand Paul didn't say anything

or present a bill about this when everyone else (us) were complaining. He didn't try to change the laws. Which means he supported them, so he has to be treated the same as everyone else. He was likely carrying, since he is for CC.

[LibDemAlways]

25. Here he is at a hearing. Pretty evident he's not a fan.

[AlbertCat]

22. I agree with them that TSA is abusive and needs to be reigned in.

But Homeland Security must do its Job! Which party exploited (exploits) terror of terror the most?

It's their bed, they can lie in it.... too.

[Magoo48]

46. Best thing the TSA and HS could do is to dissolve...

[truebrit71]

87. Yup...

...biggest boondoggle EVER...

[MADem]

100. Reined in--like horsies, not kings. nt

[AllyCat]

83. Me too. We no longer fly anywhere.

The radiation risk is not acceptable to us and I refuse to be body searched to go on an airplane when I have done nothing wrong.

Drive or train for us.

[tblue37]

95. I agree with you on this. I hate this guy's notions about government, but I hate what the TSA

does to us just as much or more!

[MaineDem]

16. Aren't Legislators, on the way to session, immune from most laws?

Something in the back of my head remembers that.

[izquierdista]

20. Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night.....

Shall stay the Gest..err, Homeland Security from the tedious completion of their body cavity inspections.

[NYC Liberal]

40. They aren't totally immune.

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.

This wouldn't be an arrest.

[MaineDem]

42. I knew there was something. Thanks.

[JBoy]

62. Wow, I didn't know that.

thanks!

[Lasher]

66. He was detained.

And as a result he missed a Senate vote scheduled for later that day, according to the linked article. Did this detention constitute an Arrest prohibited by Article 1, Sec. VI of the Constitution? I believe it did.

[NYC Liberal]

75. No. I don't believe so.

A stop for issuing a traffic citation is not an arrest (including under this provision of the Constitution). I don't see how this would be.

[Vattel]

88. Really?

It would be absurd if arrest were prohibited but detention without arrest was just fine and dandy.

[truedelphi]

89. With Jesse Ventura taking the TSA matter to court and losing,

It probably doesn't matter any more.

The Powers that Be won. The ideals of freedom and liberty lost.

Brings to mind that old old saying, "Those that offer up liberty in exchange for security don't deserve either."

The real winner in all of this is the family that owns the patent technology on the scanning equipment.

[Lance_Boyle]

107. If not an arrest it was an unlawful detention.

TSA is like police in this regard - unless you are under arrest they cannot detain you legally. It is a mere semantic game to claim this unlawful detention was not an arrest.

[Scuba]

17. He's afraid they'll find his "aqua buddha".

[Hassin Bin Sober]

56. I was thinking more like a cucumber.

[frylock]

67. freakin' armadillos

[zbdent]

19. Wonder if he or his daddy are

fine about the "indefinite detention" of American citizens ...

[think]

33. Rand was one of 13 Senators who voted against the 2012 NDAA

The 13 senators who voted against the bill were
Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),
Ben Cardin (D-Md.),
Al Franken (D-Minn.),
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa),
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.),
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.),
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.),
Jim Risch (R-Idaho),
Rand Paul (R-Ky.),
Mike Lee (R-Utah),
Jim DeMint (R-S.C.),
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and
Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/18/1046736/-National-Defense-Authorization-Act-13-Senators-voted-NO

As far as politics go Rand has been a Koch Tea Party puppet but I do agree with him on this issue.

[leftofcool]

35. They are not.

Both are against. As much as I dislike both Pauls, they are at least against NDAA, TSA goons, and other things Dems can agree on.

[liberal N proud]

21. Senators shouldn't have to abide by the laws they enact

[sinkingfeeling]

24. Good. The TSA has my permission to keep Paul indefinitely.

[former9thward]

37. So now we pick and choose who gets detained based on politics?

Anything else in the Constitution you would like to throw out?

[sinkingfeeling]

45. But, if it were a mild-manner store clerk, you'd be OK with TSA giving him a pass.

[former9thward]

54. Don't know what your post means.

You are the one who wants to use politics as the basis to detain and imprison people. I am totally opposed to these "enhanced" TSA searches on anyone.

[SaintPete]

91. do you really need to take Sinkingfeelings post so seriously?

Do you really think the OP meant what you are implying?

It's just Internet bravado, and it ain't no thing...

[snooper2]

59. Not we, just me, they get to keep him..any others I'll be checking email

[stockholmer]

90. [phone]

[louis-t]

26. I am more disturbed by the reaction of the Pauls.

"It was the machine's fault."

[TBF]

29. That wasn't very quick thinking on Ron Paul's part -

I'm surprised he didn't turn the incident into a "they're taking away our liberties" moment. He's slipping.

[WingDinger]

32. My mother just had an anomaly. Tinsle threads in her blouse.

They opted for a full pat down. The idiotic thing about that is, they did not pat down those tinsel threads. So, how did the second step confirm no ill intent? Or make anyone safer?

[LibDemAlways]

38. TSA doesn't make anyone safe. A determined terrorist isn't going to

let the goons at TSA get in the way.

Back in 2003, before the full-on pat-downs, pins in my ankle from an old injury set off the metal detector. I showed the TSA guy the scar and indicated he should wand the leg, but he would have none of it. Instead he called over some smarmy woman who proceeded to inspect my bra straps. Utterly ridiculous.

At the same time an elderly woman, had to be 90, was being hoisted out of her wheelchair to be wanded after they yanked off her shoes. The woman's daughter, a senior herself, begged TSA to cool it, explaining that her mother suffered from Alzheimers and didn't understand what the hell was happening to her.

No way does any of this shit being perpetrated on ordinary people going about their business have anything to do with keeping the public safe.

[zonkers]

27. Perhaps he has illegally prescribed drugs on his person.

[LittleGirl]

30. This could turn the tide and I hope it does

I refused to be touched by TSA ever again. I am not about to subject myself to those torturous pat downs just because I'm going on vacation. They are down right illegal. Just because I want to fly doesn't mean I should give up my civil rights.

[barbtries]

48. what will you do instead?

i've resigned myself to the pat downs because i refuse to step inside the strip search machine. a, i'm modest - b, jury still out on radiation effects - c, and most important: i won't willingly do anything that puts money in the pocket of michael chertoff.

giving up flying is not realistic for me: my grandchildren live 3,000 miles away, and i work full time. even were that not the case, i love to travel.

the last time it happened i just gritted my teeth. the woman was very professional and did not intrude the way i know, from news reports, anywhere near as invasively as she could have.

[LittleGirl]

115. Hi, sorry for the late response

Just saw your reply. oops.

I've gone through the cancer causing strip search since because I don't want anybody to touch me. It's hard for me. I had a pat down in Amsterdam in 2008 and I felt violated. The 20 something yr old person that gave me the pat down was polite but didn't speak at all. I didn't expect it and it was before the US started this crazy and violating process. I lived in Germany at the time and was totally shocked that it was necessary. What I truly despise is the total randomness of it. My husband flies a lot and I worry about his radiation exposure.

[barbtries]

116. the risk is probably minimal,

the bigger issue for me is the michael chertoff connection. i swear to gawd i cannot believe how teflon that bastard is.
oh, yeah, and i'm modest, i'm overweight...the only people looking at me are medical professionals.

[KansDem]

31. Will TSA go all "Rand Paul" on him?

[Lawlbringer]

61. whoa

What is that from?

[KansDem]

69. Here...

Rand Paul supporter stomps head of MoveOn protester

One thing for sure is whatever Tea Party members drink -- it is certainly not chamomile tea. Their vehemence and agitation is more akin to someone after having slugged down a six-pack of Red Bull. So, say what you will about them, few people would be surprised if they used violence to make a point. Perhaps their propensity for truculence can be explained by their adherence to Second Amendment (the right to bear arms—the one Christine O’Donnell got right last week).

If you think they are pacifists, just ask the reporter who was illegally handcuffed by security personnel keeping Alaska Tea Partier Joe Miller safe from a dangerous member of the press. But that incident was pale in comparison to what happened last night before a debate between Tea Partier Rand Paul and Democrat Jack Conway.

According to police, Lauren Valle, a volunteer with MoveOn.Org, tried to get a photo with Rand Paul as she held a sign that read “employee of the month award.” But before she could get near him, she was knocked to the ground and the blonde wig she was wearing was ripped from her head. Then, as she struggled to get to her feet, a Rand Paul supporter stomped on her head. (see video on side bar)

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-washington-dc/rand-paul-supporter-stomps-head-of-moveon-protestor

[byronius]

34. He scares the crap out of me. n/t

[stockholmer]

92. as opposed to an ever-growing police state?

[byronius]

111. I identify him as one of the major proponents of the ever-growing police state.

For all the 'live free or die' verbiage, I view Rand Paul as an utterly facetious sophist, like his father. It is my contention that their ideology is founded on the same principles as the Michigan Militia -- their small group ultimately having the complete freedom to distribute resources (especially women) as they see fit to 'lesser' people. Libertarianism is complete bullshit. They all long for absolute power over others (especially women); the 'philosophy' of the Pauls is a complete ruse, useful only insofar as they are forced to operate in any type of democratic system. They are plutocrats, and will quickly turn to absolutist authoritarianism the moment it serves them to. He is the dwarf from Thunderdome -- 'Who run Bartertown?' -- and I find anything that discomfits him from his dark purpose to be ironically humorous, primarily because, as I said above, I see him as the harbinger of the ultimate police state.

That being said, the 'ever-growing police state' is the standard and recurring product of fearful, devolving hominids, seeking an all-powerful father figure to protect them from the boogy man. It is ignorance, misinformation, and poor education wrapped in a lively ball of absolute greed.

Just like Rand Paul.

[frazzled]

36. It was the radio-signal chip in his head

that set off the scanner.

[FLAprogressive]

39. Can you say "Big Fucking Publicity Stunt"?

I wouldn't put it past those little whores.

[Gormy Cuss]

76. Yeah, it stinks to high heaven

but I want the bullshit security theater to end. I'd like to see a few Democratic senators engineer similar stunts if that's what it takes to end it.

[IcyPeas]

78. I don't understand,

could this help his father?

[savalez]

41. The scanner's job is to identify passengers who are dangerous to America.

So it's working perfectly.

[geardaddy]

47. Win.

DUzy.

[Bolo Boffin]

43. Get this: he was on his way to speak at the 39th annual March for Life.

Yes, as one person tweeted:

Rand Paul freaks out over being bodily searched by TSA on the way to speak at 'March for Life.' Keep government hands off men's bodies!!

[Bolo Boffin]

51. The TSA is denying that Paul was detained at any point.

It's at [link:Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/23/report-tsa-detains-sen-rand-paul-in-nashville/#ixzz1kInreT1N|the Daily Caller].

Here's the info:

The TSA says Sen. Rand Paul “was not detained at any point” but “triggered an alarm during routine airport screening and refused to complete the screening process in order to resolve the issue.”

“Passengers, as in this case, who refuse to comply with security procedures are denied access to the secure gate area,” the TSA adds. “He was escorted out of the screening area by local law enforcement.”

“The passenger was screened by millimeter wave imaging technology using automated target recognition,” the TSA continues. “This technology uses the same generic image for all passengers to further protect passengers privacy. When an alarm occurs a yellow box indicates where an anomaly is. A targeted pat down is used to resolve the alarm.”

TSA spokesman Michael McCarthy told The Daily Caller that “when an irregularity is found during the TSA screening process, it must be resolved prior to allowing a passenger to proceed to the secure area of the airport. Passengers who refuse to complete the screening process cannot be granted access to the secure area in order to ensure the safety of others traveling.”

[The Wielding Truth]

102. Wow... this is interesting. So he was not on his way to congress.

[Bolo Boffin]

103. The Senate goes into session on Tuesday. It may be an iffy point. n/t

[barbtries]

44. lol

this tickles me for some reason.

[Lint Head]

49. OMG Rand! It's the New World Order, the Bilderbergers, interment camps, roundtable the blood cults,

the Rockefellers, the Bohemian club at work. Better get Alex Jones on the phone right away!

[Lochloosa]

50. Must have been his Tin Foil Cup that set it off....

[Bolo Boffin]

53. Got to protect those precious fluids... n/t

[jeanmarc]

52. Rand probably set it off on purpose

I bet he set it off on purpose just to get some good publicity.

[KansDem]

55. Will he be fined $11,000?

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was detained Monday morning by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tennessee after refusing a full body pat-down.

Remember the "Don't Touch My Junk" guy?

The TSA has launched an investigation of a passenger in San Diego who left the airport after opting out of an invasive body scan and criticizing the proposed alternative pat-down.

John Tyner, a 31-year-old software programmer, recorded the encounter on his mobile phone and posted it to his blog. From there, it quickly went viral, tapping a groundswell of frustration over TSA’s procedures.

But far from backing down, the TSA told local reporters that it’s now investigating the passenger, who may face an $11,000 fine if the agency sues him.

“What he’s done, he’s violated federal law and federal regulations which states once you enter and start the process you have to complete it,” TSA’s San Diego security director told the Fox 5 News.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/11/tsa-investigating-passenger/

[unapatriciated]

63. well if they do decide to fine him, he now has a defense if Paul is not also fined.

[SoapBox]

57. Remember! GOPBaggers are above all laws...They can do what they want...they think.

Do as I SAY...NOT as I do!

Isn't that the mantra of any GOPBagger Weasel!

p.s....Maybe he needed a FULL BODY CAVITY search as well?

(DU...I'm begging for the spell checker to return.)

[47of74]

73. Someone on twitter said it was because he wanted to make a stand for privacy...

...and I (politely) said bullshit. I went on to say it was rather this fucking teabagger weasel thinking he's above such things and that things screenings are for the masses.

[crim son]

58. Couldn't have happened to a better guy. :sarcasm:

[patrice]

60. The definition of anomaly depends upon one's political demographics. nt

[DallasNE]

64. Sen. Paul Had Problem In Denver Airport

Just 2 days ago, according to this report. http://ww2.cox.com/myconnection/omaha/today/news/national/article.cox?articleId=D9SEOUOG3&moduleType=apNews

So is the Senator doing this to go after the TSA? Maybe if he has as much concern for electronic voting systems as he does for airport scanners something would get done.

I remember back in 1972 in Honolulu when I had trouble with a scanner. I had emptied my pockets completely as well as my watch, even removed by pants belt, and the scanner went off. Finally, it was suggested that I remove my eyeglasses and I passed. The only metal left on me was my pants zipper.

[beac]

70. Twice in two days? I smell publicity stunt.

From your linked article:

Paul, the son of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, said the situation reflects his long-standing concern that the TSA shouldn't be "spending so much time with people who wouldn't attack us."

Sounds like Paul wants more racial profiling. No pat downs for the rich, white and important.

[Purveyor]

65. This will only solidify Rand's 'hero status' with his followers... eom

[JohnnyLib2]

68. Louisville newspaper version below

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120123/NEWS01/301230043/Rand-Paul-airport-delay?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home


The chatter among politicos at the local McDonalds is that he was waiting for such an opportunity.

[beac]

71. *jingle music*

"Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah-- I'm not buyin' it!"

I think your McPundits are right on the money.

[hedgehog]

81. I'm thinking he has something slipped into the seam of his trousers -

he pulled up his pants leg to show there was nothing around his knee, but didn't want a pat-down? I think he pulled the same stunt in Denver:

"Paul said he was in Denver two days ago and allowed to walk through the screener again and avoided the pat down."

[rug]

82. DU3 needs this.

"When an alarm occurs, a yellow box indicates where an anomaly is. A targeted pat down is used to resolve the alarm.”

[JohnnyLib2]

93. LOL!

[olegramps]

72. For resisting authority he should have been given a taste of some good ole Southern justice:

If they were in keeping to what they have reserved for some of our brethren, after being beat shitless, they would have shot him for resisting arrest.

[totodeinhere]

86. The U.S. Constitution prohibits detention of federal lawmakers while they’re on the way to

the capital.

[NYC Liberal]

108. Wrong, it prohibits arrest.

For example, they can be stopped and detained while they are issued a traffic citation.

[totodeinhere]

112. I was quoting this ABC News article.

The U.S. Constitution actually protects federal lawmakers from detention while they’re on the way to the capital.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/rand-paul-in-pat-down-standoff-with-tsa-in-nashville/

[NYC Liberal]

113. Ah, well the Constitution actually says "arrest" and

there is a difference between an arrest and a detention (something, of course, that's been the subject of debate for over 200 years now).

[mactime]

74. Anything that draws attention

Anything that draws attention to the heavy handed tactics of the TSA gestapo is fine by me.

[flpab]

106. Mica and Paul

Mica wants to get rid of tsa because his wifey owns a private security company that has taken over private security such as Key West. He is in my district and is a weasel. the machine that Paul walked through picks up metal and organic objects. His leg alarmed probably because he did not take paper or a wallet out of his pocket on the first try, Second time he probably removed everything out of his pocket. You do not get a second chance because suppose you did have a weapon or explosive attached to your body. They don't give you a chance to detonate or fire your weapon. All they have to do is clear the one leg with a quick pat down. He is a chicken shit crack pot.

[a2liberal]

79. Wow I'm surprised

at all the negativity in this thread for someone standing up for their rights. We may disagree with most of his politics but that doesn't somehow turn a positive action into a negative one.

[Bluzmann57]

84. Did they tell him to remove his tinfoil hat?

And he refused? Just a thought.

[Badsam]

85. I heard he was wearing panties and bra.

Those under wires are made of metal and they do set off alarms. But he should have know that silly man
































J/K but wouldn't doubt it

[TigerToMany]

97. They should do this more often to ANY rethuglican politician

hold them there for hours and hours, frisk them, go through their luggage, detain them, question them.

Give them a taste of the laws they have forced upon us.

[Politicub]

98. Would he not remove his tinfoil hat?

[lonestarnot]

101. ROFLMAO!

[Ken Burch]

104. Somewhere out there, the Ghost of Teddy is loving this!

n/t.

[arely staircase]

105. video of paul at airport

[katsung47]

114. A revenge

It's a revenge on Rand Paul for his comment on NDAA.

Quote, "
In a warning from Rand Paul on the senate floor, where he speaks out against provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, we learned today that the government considers having guns or storing more than 7 days of food a possible terrorist activity.

http://offgridsurvival.com/randpaulwarnsofmilitarylockingupamericancitizens/