Posted on 04/04/2009 7:38:57 AM PDT by marktwain
The show-me state made the news recently when the Missouri Information Analysis Center, a state-federal law-enforcement partnership, released an inflammatory report alleging that libertarians, constitutionalists, supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, and other people skeptical of powerful government should be considered as potential terrorists-in-the-making. The controversial document has since been withdrawn, but you have to wonder when a twenty-something official with Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty gets rousted by TSA agents in the St. Louis airport for carrying ... cash.
Steve Bierfeldt, Director of Development for the organization, kept his cool during the encounter. We know that because he activated the recording function on his cell phone and captured almost all of the incident for posterity. The TSA agents harangued him for asking what his legal rights were while he was questioned in a detention room. They accused him of behaving "like a child" when he simply wanted to know whether he was legally compelled to answer certain questions.
The apparent cause of the encounter was Bierfeldt's possession of roughly $4,700 in cash, the take from sales of books, T-shirts and merchandise at a regional conference in the city.
Is it any of the TSA's business that Bierfeldt was carrying cash? (What? Was he going to pummel the stewardess with a roll of twenties?)
And it's revealing that the agents were apparently offended that their detainee politely inquired into his own rights instead of instantly submitting.
Andrew Napolitano at Fox News has part of the recording along with some background information.
By the way, I'll lay odds that the comments in the ear of the TSA types by the supposed undercover FBI agent who intervened to release Bierfeldt included the words, "Just how stupid are you?"
Last time I checked one is not legally obligated to disclose (or even discuss) cash possession except on customs forms when departing the U.S. on an international flight. And that’s for $10,000 or more last time I checked.
$4,700???? That’s peanuts. And it was on a domestic flight which carried no such U.S. Customs obligation.
Only lowlife TSA security guards with too much power and too little money would ask questions about such a puny amount of cash.
No amount of money is enough for these entitlement swine at TSA. I have long been a proponent of giving these security positions to retired police and FBI personnel (maybe in exchange for no taxation). Most of the TSA morons seem to be Post Office rejects.
So, where's the hyperlink to the audio file so that we (posterity) can all listen to the encounter?
Regards,
TSA=Tough Shi-, Americans!
>>>>>> Most of the TSA morons seem to be Post Office rejects. <<<<<<<
I have had my run-ins with them, but nothing beyond sharp words.
Some have also been very professional.
I’ve met Steve. He’s a good guy. And yes, forfeiture laws are an abomination.
surprised he wasn’t arrested for recording them.
That’s true. But it seems in the larger metro airports like Chicago, LA and Washington, DC, most of the TSA personnel leave a lot to be desired.
You can imagine the reaction of the TSA pinheads at the Raleigh-Durham airport when they discovered the weapons in his carry on luggage. While waiting for TSA supervisors, FBI, BATFE, and God knows who else the TSA decided to examine everything else in his luggage, including the contents of his checked luggage. After a lengthy delay he, and his weapons were released, with one exception. His 2 inch sewing scissors were confiscated by the TSA because they were not specifically listed on his orders.
That is true, but the cops don't practice law!! They practice don't disc my authority!!!
“Only lowlife TSA security guards with too much power and too little money would ask questions about such a puny amount of cash.”
>>>> Much smaller amounts have been routinely confiscated under the forfeiture laws. <<<<<<
Don’t you have to be arrested for something in order to invoke the forfeiture laws?
“detained”??? He was arrested! He was arrested for carrying cash that the bogger-eating morons at the TSA and the local police department demanded to know where the money came from.
Since when in this country is a person required to answer such a question or else be arrested???
The guy needs to sue the living sh*t out of those bastards.
I remember flying when they were first training the new TSA agents in Seattle. The guy they were training to do the scans kept dozing off, while the trainer was standing right next to him. The trainer had to keep nudging the young man to wake him up. The trainees appeared to be 100% affirmative action hires.
The money was an excuse, not a reason for their behavior. Just another glimpse of our new dictatorship, coming soon to a neighborhood near you!
It is hard to do this in any reasonable way for amounts less than $5000, because it may cost you more in attorney fees than that.
It is a form of legalized theft.
Did he he give them a heads up that the weapons were in his luggage?
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