Congressional Staffers Embarrassed by “Enhanced Pat-Down” Demonstration
Posted: November 23, 2010 Filed under: just because | Tags: gate rape, TSA abuse, TSA security measures 27 Comments
The comprehensive briefing of House staff, by a TSA deputy, covered everything – the threat from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, screening procedures, pat-downs (standard and enhanced) – “the whole works,” one House staffer who attended the briefing told POLITICO.
He said that several House staffers were uncomfortable and averted their eyes when the TSA demonstrated an enhanced pat-down in the room of 200 people.
“The dumbest part: they did two pat-down demonstrations – male on male, and female on female,” the House staffer said. And they used a young female TSA volunteer “and in front of a room of 200 people, they touched her breasts and her buttocks. People were averting their eyes. The TSA was trying to demonstrate ‘this is not so bad,’ but it made people so uncomfortable to watch, that people were averting their eyes.”
“I feel bad for the girl they put in front of 50 people when they were doing a pat down,” said one Republican senate staff member about the female TSA employee who was part of the demonstration, reflecting the concerns of many passengers about being touched in their private areas by security agents.
However, a Democratic staffer who was there said it was all very professional.
“I don’t think there was an emotional reaction one way or another,” the aide said. “They explained — based on what we know and what the threat is — we think this is the best way to mitigate the risks.”
Oh Great. The Democrat sounds cold and efficient, and the Republican sounds empathetic.
One Democratic aide said the TSA’s effort to boost security has become a public relations problem because images of the tough new procedures are disturbing to many people.
“It’s always tough for the government to get their side of the story out compared to how quickly someone with YouTube video, Facebook, Twitter, all those things, can. For all the things they are trying to do to get the word out, one single isolated incident gets a lot more press than all the efforts they’re trying to do,” the aide said.
Oh Gee, it’s sooooo hard for the government to get their message out, poor babies. They only have the entire corporate media at their disposal when they want to “catapult the propaganda.” If that isn’t a match for social media, we’re in a lot worse shape than I thought.
Meanwhile, very important Villager people won’t have to have their genitals groped:
Cabinet secretaries, top congressional leaders and an exclusive group of senior U.S. officials are exempt from toughened new airport screening procedures when they fly commercially with government-approved federal security details.
Aviation security officials would not name those who can skip the controversial screening, but other officials said those VIPs range from top officials like Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and FBI Director Robert Mueller to congressional leaders like incoming House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who avoided security before a recent flight from Washington’s Reagan National Airport.
Oh well, as long as it’s only the serfs who are subject to gate rape, then no problem. We wouldn’t want Tim Geithner to be humiliated by having his crotch grabbed in public, now would we?
Emptywheel tries to calculate how many of us will be groped over the Thanksgiving break.
This is an open thread.
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Sky Dancing 
Breast cancer survivors who’ve endured mastectomy surgery, chemo and/or radiation, and wear a breast form, have yet more to endure if they fly:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1370.shtm#0
That is so cruel.
I feel safer already. s/
Oh for Pete’s sake! John Pistole is a tool.
Are they trying to prove their tough on terrorists by manhandling children and the elderly? I just don’t get this at all.
Are they trying to prove their tough on terrorists by manhandling children and the elderly?
Exactly…because they are easy
While I’m glad I can’t afford to travel, I think it’s funny that only “top” Congressional leaders are exempted. I wonder who gets to decide which members of Congress are security leaks. Instead of threatening to strip their committee positions, they’ll be threatening to put them on the groping assault list.
That would be a great way to enforce party loyalty!
Democratic pollster suggests that Obama’s Afghanistan policy may lead to a primary challenge.
Obama needs to step aside.
I’m flying to San Francisco in a few weeks so I will be going through it. I’m afraid of the radiation so will have to take the pat down.
I swear to God, this nation is on the verge of a nervous breakdown if they are targeting little kids for a patdown in the interest of national security.
Just waiting for the TSA to start charging for this “service” to grope and grin sessions with each and every passenger. And don’t think they aren’t thinking about it. If there is a buck to be made off this stuff you can bet somebody out there is crushing the numbers now.
The policy is not going to last. There is just too much of an outcry against it.
I just saw something on Drudge…an article from The Hill saying that Janet Napolitano is considering putting the scanners on public transport…
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/130549-next-step-for-body-scanners-could-be-trains-boats-and-the-metro-
One thing I find is that, whether you are on the right or left, people seem pretty pissed off by this TSA pat-down crap.
I knew it! It’s a slippery slope.
Right now pat downs are optional to the scanners, but we may not have that option anymore in the future.
Good point. Getting the system up was one payday…but they are always looking for another of course.
dang it, that comment was for Pat Johnson says: at 7:26 pm
I feel sick…Hartsfield TSA worker allegedly abducts, assaults woman
http://www.ajc.com/news/clayton/hartsfield-tsa-worker-allegedly-751953.html
“A TSA employee based at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport tried to kill himself after allegedly abducting a woman, sexually assaulting her then giving her a suicide note to deliver.”
OMG!
Heck I am ready to take a bus to Canada, to connect to my international flights, and fore go the groping and porno scans.
You’ll have to try another country, WV…see my post below.
Just so you don’t feel alone down here….
“Canadians bristled at intrusive airport searches, complaint records show”
snip:
OTTAWA – Bras were revealed, artificial joints probed and flesh squeezed, prompting scores of complaints last year from disgruntled Canadians subjected to physical searches at airports across the country.
Records obtained by The Canadian Press show the furor over intrusive screening patdowns is not limited to the United States, where angry travellers have openly objected to new security measures.
…….
The complaints were among 1,520 received in 2009-10 by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority from passengers annoyed about searches, rude behaviour, confiscation of items, the introduction of full-body scanners and other issues.
http://beta.ca.news.yahoo.com/canadians-bristled-intrusive-airport-searches-complaint-records-show.html
And while on the topic of searches….
There’s *this* huge asshole and his uniformed thugs:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/23/ottawa-siu-bonds-arrest.html
snip:
The video showed officers kneeing Bonds in the back and forcing her to the ground, where a police officer cuts off her shirt and bra with scissors while three other male officers assisted.
(When the Chief there says he’d like more power to punish his boys, he’s lying through his busted face.)
If *I* were Queen of Canada, I’d send the Chief and his nasty boys to the tundra AT ONCE!
Another link with the details on why she was “arrested”, as well as a pic of her.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/11/17/ottawa-police-brutalize-lone-100-pound-female-and-arent-fired/
I wonder what it’ll take to make them back down? Or even if they will do so?
check your email, please 🙂
I’m surprised by this, I have to admit. In the last election 71% of WA voters voted. That’s pretty good for an off year election. In fact, this year was second, to 1970, for the most voters in an off year.
Here’s the news report about it:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/110254164.html
I’m not entirely sure people are reacting to the things going on by disenfranchising themselves, at least in the PacNW. It seems they are staying involved, and angry.
Egotistical TSA vs Passenger Satire