Texas bill would make invasive pat-downs a felony

Associated Press ^ | April 29, 2011 | Angela K. Brown

[Zakeet]

A former Miss USA's tearful claim that she was groped during a pat-down at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport could be a criminal matter under a bill gaining momentum in the Texas Legislature.

The proposed Texas law, aimed at people conducting security checkpoints at airports and public buildings, would make it a felony to intentionally touch someone's private areas — even on top of clothing — unless the officer or agent has probable cause to believe the person is carrying something illegal.

State Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, who sponsored the bill, said Friday that the invasive pat-down searches at airports nationwide are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches. Last fall the Transportation Security Administration implemented a new pat-down procedure that includes a security worker running a hand up the inside of passengers' legs and along the cheek of the buttocks, as well as making direct contact with the groin area.

"We're taking away people's dignity and freedom," said Simpson.

[Zakeet]

... but they are really love gropes that are only done for the common good of all the people ... and they have enabled us to catch thousands of deadly terrorists every day ... and they turn an otherwise mundane job into a lot of fun for my dedicated and beloved civil servants ... and the government has a constitutional right to goose ...

[webstersII]

“unless the officer or agent has probable cause”

Get out of jail free card.

[D Rider]

You posted the wrong image.

[Travis McGee]

[Molon Labbie]

The TSA NEVER has probable cause to search these people as they do. Their searches are akin to the kind of searches police officers and corrections officers do when a person is taken into custody.

Remember, no one had to go through this f’n nonsense until they invited the Muslims into the nation. EL AL has no problems with this, they go right to the guy who is most likely going to blow up the plane and confront him.

And if they don’t like it, tough.

[Georgia Girl 2]

So true. I never had a problem going through the metal detector and I never had a problem being wanded if I set off the detector. We never had any major problems on the airlines with those precautions. The only reason they have brought in the naked body scanners is because Chertoff bought into the company who makes them and he needed to market them. Now the patdowns are just to intimidate everyone into going through the scanners. It has zero to do with security. We have not flown since Oct and we are not flying again until this stuff is stopped. We will pay to fly corporate jet if we have to.

Good for Texas for standing up. Maybe GA will get on board with this.

[Bikkuri]

MUCH better on the eyes, Thank you ;)

Bikk

[WKUHilltopper]

I’d outlaw those naked cancer machines too. You have to got thru a federal song and dance for x-ray machines (compliance, safety) in hospitals, but not so much if you’re the feds and TSA.

[achilles2000]

I’d be shocked if our Rhino legislature passed this.

[RitaOK]

We have not flown since Oct and we are not flying again until this stuff is stopped. “ ================

Now that’s how you put a stop to invasions. You don’t participate, cooperate or comply with psychological warfare.
Right now for the general public flying should be out of the question except for emergency use, and commercial flyers need to group up and cartel their own private planes.

[Mariner]

I can't wait to see the Texas Rangers hauling away 4-5 TSA agents on the nightly news.

Obammie would go into full conniption on nation-wide TV.

[truthguy]

I don't like these pat downs but this is a terrible law in the making. There is too much ambiguity in this law and to make it a felony is even worse. There will be so many "he said- she said" type situations that it will be a mess. I've worked in corporate environments and have seen the sexual harassment rules abused for politics and economics. It's a mess as this law will surely be. We need to find another way to deal with this situation.

[truthguy]

I don't like these pat downs but this is a terrible law in the making. There is too much ambiguity in this law and to make it a felony is even worse. There will be so many "he said- she said" type situations that it will be a mess. I've worked in corporate environments and have seen the sexual harassment rules abused for politics and economics. It's a mess as this law will surely be. We need to find another way to deal with this situation.

[A Strict Constructionist]

IMHO, the beloved, by some, Patriot Act was the genesis of this insanity. It should have never been passed. It is an abomination.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Right now you can fly Executive Jet Services and its way more than Delta but still not that bad considering you just pull up to the General Aviation terminal and get on the plane and off you go. They will stock whatever drinks and snacks you want. You can bring your gold, silver, weapons whatever with you and nobody says a word. My fiancee’ has to fly private because he is in the mining business and he has an interesting piece of equipment he has invented to find gold and silver. It has an antenna and little blinking light. Looks just like a bomb. Can’t go on Delta with it. Can’t take his firearm either so he flys private. I believe if this TSA thing is not stopped real soon you are going to see the prices on Executive Jets come down. Whenever there is a vacumn somebody always shows up to fill the void.

As for everyone else you are right just fly if its absolutely imperative. Otherwise stay home or drive.

[SaraJohnson]

I can’t trust myself to fly under these conditions. I’ll end up arrested.

[Sun]

I wish every FReeper, and lurker, would try to get a law like that in THEIR state.