$11,000 fine, arrest possible for some who refuse airport scans and pat downs

SunSentinel.com ^ | 11/20/10 | John Lantigua

[chickadee]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is warning that any would-be commercial airline passenger who enters an airport checkpoint and then refuses to undergo the method of inspection designated by TSA will not be allowed to fly and also will not be permitted to simply leave the airport.

That person will have to remain on the premises to be questioned by the TSA and possibly by local law enforcement. Anyone refusing faces fines up to $11,000 and possible arrest.

"Once a person submits to the screening process, they can not just decide to leave that process," says Sari Koshetz, regional TSA spokesperson, based in Miami.

[OldDeckHand]

Well, you wrote a lot, much of it very interesting, but you never addressed my central question. Does the federal government have the "right" to interrogate passengers about their domestic travel plans? Certainly, US immigration uses a similar script for incoming foreigners, but that's hardly analogous to the interrogation of US citizens traveling domestically.

So, I'll restate my question - how is an intrusive interrogation any less a violation of someone's 4A (and perhaps 5A) rights, than is an aggressive pat down or electronic screener a violation of someone's constitutional rights?

Personally, I don't think it is, but I certainly here a chorus of voices who are advocating that we "defund the TSA and start doing it just like the Israelis". Seems to me that the Israeli method isn't any less constitutionally questionable, at all.

I'm make my point more directly than I did in my original post. The people who say that, haven't a clue what they're talking about.

[Balding_Eagle]

If you don't comply then you can't fly. All this talk is silly.

Would have you given the same advice to Rosa Parks?

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Jim DeMint was kissing Pistole’s butt? My God, that’s disappointing. I’d to see Michelle Bachman ask questions of Pistole in a house hearing...I don’t believe she will swoon over him.

On the frequent flyer web site, flyertalk.com, they call Pistole “Pissy.”

[Cardhu]

I'm talking about hearings in the next Congress, run by Republicans

See my post #72. Both sides are complicit as long as they are shielded from the effects of their actions.

[mojitojoe]

I checked out DU last night and they are as pissed about this as we are. So Obongo and his thugs don’t have anyone on their side on this matter.

[moovova]

...stuff a big salami in my undies...

Don't do that. Not only will you give the TSA goons an excuse to put you in jail...

...you will have bought them lunch.

[Michael Barnes]

I wouldn’t want to be a TSA employee. They can’t stay at the airport forever and they are GOING to piss someone off who will be waiting outside their home.

[OldDeckHand]

"I am aware of who usually owns airport facilities, and that has no bearing on the discussion."

Is what someone would say who hasn't a freakin clue how multi-jurisdictional policing is accomplished in this country, and has been for decades. Local police help federal authorities ALL THE TIME, and vice versa. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that if you act a fool in an airport screening line that you're going to be arrested by the local police, and not an FBI tacteam.

[null and void]

If a Muslim wants to kill a lot of people all they have to do is rent one of those baggage thingys and load it up with giant suitcases full of explosives. Then they roll it up to where HUNDREDS of people are forced to stand close together waiting for the electronic strip search. There is absolutely no way the TSA or HSA can stop that from happening right now. And it won't change until we start screening people instead of things they are carrying.

I've been anticipating that very thing for quite some time.

[metmom]

......."A senior Homeland Security official (who would not allow his name to be used) told CNN this week that "the mood at DHS and TSA is anger." The official griped to CNN that the real outrage was how TSA agents were being treated. In San Diego, one such agent "was accosted and verbally abused by a member of the traveling public," said the official. "The fact that some in the media would hail the traveler as some kind of folk hero is shameful.""...........

Clueless. Totally clueless.

Well, I have news for him. The American traveling public is angry, too.

I for one am proud of anyone who stands up the the government goons.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Why is this still discussed hypothetically? Surely there are muslim women in deep hijab flying every day. What is happening there? Are they being rape-scanned or not? Are they being groped, or not?

[ohioWfan]

Looks like a lot of people will be driving from now on.

[goldstategop]

Then don’t fly! Its not like we’re forced to submit to these outrageous checks at gunpoint.

[republicangel]

I’ve been reading articles about these TSA patdowns and wondering if they are changing rubber gloves between patdowns. If they are touching people’s genitals and not changing gloves, can you imagine the potential of disease spreading going on? Ick.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

If they get a stealth voter block in, our Thanksgiving goose is cooked. We can solve almost any other problem, but not if we become balkanized. Dream Act would probably finish us.

toll free number to Capitol Hill:
(866) 338-1015

[markomalley]

[FourPeas]

There are some physical cues that can’t be faked and generally aren’t effected by medical anxiety (which I also experience). Talking to people becomes quite fascinating when you can spot them.

[Luke21]

They have their kangaroo courts stuffed with Bolshevik idiots and hair splitting fools. You won’t get satisfaction there either.

[moovova]

Perhaps every guy should take a couple of viagras an hour before heading out to the airport.

Might make it difficult to put the seat-back tray down when the flight attendants are passing out drinks...

[null and void]

Demand a jury trial.