Senator Rand Paul Detained By TSA

By on January 23, 2012 in News 24

Rand PaulThe TSA is denying this, here is what Tim Mak reported on the Politico below. This kind of reminds me of when the late Senator Kennedy was placed on the “no-fly” list, however, in Senator Paul’s case, given his vocal criticism of the TSA, this incident makes great political theater. (I wonder if his father will bring up in the next Republican presidential debate …)

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was blocked from boarding a flight Monday by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tenn., after refusing a full body pat-down, POLITICO has confirmed. “I spoke with him five minutes ago and he was being detained indefinitely,” Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley said. “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 the authenticated Twitter account of presidential candidate Ron Paul.

The TSA disputed this characterization of the incident.

Read More: Politico

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  • Satisfied

    TSA was nothing but professional and nice to me and I know thats not the rule but the exception. I’m so special. Suck it senator.

    • CosmicAmazing

      They are just normal people (in most cases) who think they have a “special” job to do. Problem is, their job is fictional and so is the threat they are looking for. So naturally they need an enemy and that enemy could be you. It’s sad, but that’s how they are trained. They constantly tells the TSA agents “anyone of them could be the next Mohammed Atta.” It only gets scary when the TSA agent actually believes this. Then they start to become hostile toward normal citizens. This is the reason Ron Paul & Rand Paul want to get rid of them. Guilty until proven Innocent - The New Amerikan Way!      

      • Satisfied

        I agree. I’m kidding on the “i’m so special” part (just for comic relief). They have a lot of responsibility. I just acted natural as if I was talking to a co-worker  who was assisting me in a sensitive matter, and not so much as an authority figure or obstacle. The same way not all sports teams are winners not all employees are ideal.

  • http://wearechangeatlanta.com/ Camron Wiltshire

    Nazi TSA provoking conflict.  This is absurd in the extreme.  

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/RWWAEM343UIK2IBZB3OXQZTQXM SPET67

    As a Senator, Rand Paul is constitutionally exempt from this sort of treatment.  I hope the TSA will have some consequences to deal with. 

    • Mike

      “As a Senator, Rand Paul is constitutionally exempt from this sort of treatment.”

      Or so he thought……….. The TSA is not subject to any court or law. They are above the law, that’s not my view either, that’s how the government views them. 

    • Lakota

       I think a full body search with out a warrant is actually a violation of our 4th amendment rights. BUT because of 9/11 we’ve been scared into giving up our freedoms and they don’t tell you it is ACTUALLY optional.

  • Mr Willow

    Shortly before noon, the TSA said Paul had been re-booked on another flight and went through the screening process again without incident.

    Wait. . . so is he still detained? 

    • Andrew

      Nope.  Now if it had been one of us…

      • Mr Willow

        Indeed. I just wanted some clarification. 

  • SF2K01

    To avoid future problems he should leave that hair do behind instead. That said, F the TSA fear industry.

  • DeepCough

    Moira Bagley: “Senator, what is your strategy for this incident?”

    Rand Paul: “Unleash the Paultards.”

    • CoughDeep

      LOL. Who are the Paultards?  A Paultard should be the name we give people NOT voting for Ron Paul. You know, because retards are so easily manipulated. Those are going to be the only people left in our future if we don’t get someone like Ron in the white house. Idiocracy anyone?

      • DeepCough

        I’ll tell you what’s retarded–Ron Paul thinking he can win the Presidency on the Republican platform.

        • CoughDeep

          How is that retarded? It’s the logical and strategic thing to do if you want to appeal to a greater audience. If your trying to be popular, hang around the popular crowd. After the mess Obummer created, a huge majority of sheeple (and people) are looking for a republican ‘savior’ so-to-speak. That is how the two party scam works right? (You have a republican for a few years fuck everything up and then a people-loving democrat comes along and says he will bring change and fix everything. Bingo, people vote him in and then…Ooops he lied and it’s worse now. Da ta da, here comes a republican that proclaims he will fix everything. But wait, this other guy Ron Paul is anti-war and doesn’t follow the standard “mantra” associated with the republicans. He must be crazy!) And this is where we are now. Ron Paul also strongly believes this country is a REPUBLIC which may have just a little influence on his choice for running as a REPUBLICan… 

          Now I also KNOW the media and officials are bought and manipulated like in any other corrupt system. That being the case, Ron Paul has more of a struggle going with the mainstream two party system. The manipulation of media and voting officials also poses as an insurmountable task to overcome. However, in spite of all this, he hopes his views of individual liberty and our constitution inspire people enough to spread a message and vote for him. He seems to care more about his message and the people then he cares about becoming president. If you can believe that. It might actually be his downfall come to think of it. Ahh shit, I see your point. 

          • Andrew

            > After the mess Obummer created

            You just blew your credibility among people with long-term memories.

          • CoughDeep

            So who in your long-term memory was worse? Because I might just agree ;-)  

          • DeepCough

            Bush was definitely worse, but I’m not foolish enough to think Obama was any better.

          • Andrew

            What I meant was that the vast majority of the mess was created before Obama’s term.

            It’s really hard to get much worse than a president who claims the right to kill anyone he wants.

          • DeepCough

            Not to rub it in, but I did tell ya so, man.

  • Nunzio X

    NELSON MUNTZ VOICE: Ha, ha!

  • Lakota

    You know it’s really telling , Our country has been diminished, and brainwashed into being so fearful, that we give up our rights and detain senators who actually protect our freedoms. Paul-tards? Oh — so someone is retarded for questioning the Fed who gave away 16 trillion of YOUR dollars to off shore banks? – a Paul tard for questioning a bill that burns the constitution or better yet — when a person knows their constitutional rights and says hey – I’m not a suspect in a crime. You have no right or warrant to fully search my person. As per the 4th amendment.  I feel bad for those who think this is somehow just. And what’s the excuse for this? 9/11 the 24/7 excuse for everything. Its Bull$#it.

  • Gregory Wyrdmaven

    In his defense, it was the lump of metal in his chest (where a heart usually is) that set off the machine thingy. 

    Or was it the metal between his ears?

    • http://wearechangeatlanta.com/ Camron Wiltshire

      appeal to ridicule = joke fail.