‘OMG’: Sen. Claire McCaskill tweets about ‘aggressive’ airport pat down

[Judi Lynn]

Source: New York Daily News

McCaskill said she got a \'private, more aggressive pat down\' after a positive residue tests on her hands. The Democratic senator has previously said she tries to avoid getting frisked at the airport \'at all costs.\'

By Kristen A. Lee / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, March 11, 2013, 5:26 PM.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill is a critic of intrusive airport pat downs. \'OMG,\' she tweeted about her experience on Monday.

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill tweeted her reaction to an “aggressive” airport pat down on Monday: “OMG.”

“Today in my airport screening, test on my hands was positive. Got private, more aggressive pat down. OMG. #veryuncomfortable.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sen-mccaskill-tweets-airport-pat-omg-article-1.1285529

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On edit:

Thanks to the host who let me know my first link didn't work. I am glad to replace it with the right one.

Sorry for the error.

[appleannie1]

1. Sounds like a set up to me.

[brooklynite]

21. to what end?

[midnight]

26. As in she got on the wrong side of someone?

[Politicalboi]

2. Now imagine it's your 3 year old

And crying and they are searching for bombs because the kids name is the same as some "terrorist". Good, I'm glad they get first hand experience at this shit. Too bad it didn't go into a strip search. Let them feel what it's like. Now saying all this, I wish it had been John Boner, or Mitch McTurtle instead.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Hands??? they check your hands fo...residue?

What's with that?
( Obviously I have not been around TSA invasions)

[ewagner]

5. Ditto to dixiegrrrl's question...n/t

[anokaflash]

9. Yes

They sometimes swab your hands, and carry on and run the swab through a machine. If it comes up positive, they pull you out of the line for higher level search

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Yup, and hubby got the swab instead of the pat down

After acting stereotypical gay...

It is not an insult on the LGBT, but a comment on the attitudes of the TSA personnel since it worked.

[babylonsister]

22. Not everyone's.

It's done sporadically, probably when there's an FAA test being done...or not. I've traveled a fair amount, and have had that done about twice.

[MADem]

28. Did she pump her own gas? That'll do it... nt

[davidpdx]

31. It's to check for any kind of residue from an explosive

In 2011 when I went from Korea back to the US I had just broken my ankle about 3 weeks earlier (good timing huh?) and had to fly with one of those huge boots on my foot. Each time I went through security I immediately pointed the boot out and told them I'd probably be required to have a secondary search. I was cooperative and honest with them and offered to take the boot off as long as they let me sit down. One of the times (I think it was at SFO because we had to change from an international flight to a domestic flight) they tested the boot for explosives instead of me taking it off. I ended up going through a total of four airports on that trip (one as an only an arrival passenger) and had no problems.

[flamingdem]

6. The TSA has far too much power to mess with people and they do use it

I always "opt out" because I see no reason to be subject to radiation from the machines. There are plenty of TSA workers who will take their good time to even call a female over and they know time is of the essence. The sooner that process can be controlled the better. Last time I saw the panic of a French woman as she was given the choice, get radiated or miss your flight. That's unacceptable. I know the difference between someone who wants to teach you a lesson by being unpleasant and someone who is normal. There are far too many of the former. I wonder why I had to have my legs checked three times because I didn't want to wait twenty minutes right next to the xray machine, that's a favorite move of theirs by the way. It's bs but there's no one controlling this behavior.

I bet they did mess with her but it's hard to believe they'd put residue material on her. That's bizarre really.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

7. How is it that Repub Senators can hold up the Senate's business to get what they want and a

Democratic Senator like McCaskill cannot put a hold on Bills or nominations until the TSA fires whoever is involved, including any involved TSA supervisors?

Nancy Pelosi could not even hold impeachment hearings? President Obama cannot close Gitmo under any circumstances? Senator McCaskill cannot stop unnecessary intrusive airport feel-ups?

We need another Harry Truman.

[truthisfreedom]

8. I wonder what she got on her hands?

I wish they were more specific.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Some prescription drugs can mimic explosives in their scanner.

IIRC, some of the HIV drugs and others trip a sensor. I mention the HIV drugs because I have a positive friend and I recall it being an issue.

[truedelphi]

14. And if you have been fertilizing your roses,

you might also be getting teh pat down.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. Not to mention if you've been around guns and ammo.

We met some ladies on our Mexico vacation who got the royal shakedown because their husbands were on a hunting trip prior to their Mexico trip. Gun powder residue etc.

[MADem]

29. Gasoline. Pump your own gas. You can get just a hint of it, that's all ya need.

A drop on your shoe can do it, too, if that's what they're looking at in a shoe-bomber-ish way.

[peace13]

19. Skin lotion also can read false positive....glycerin I believe. Nt

[monmouth3]

10. Betcha TSA are looking at their last days. Go Claire...n/t

[Swede Atlanta]

11. Only when the lawmakers are subjected to the hazing of the public will things change.....

Whether this was a set-up or whatever, I see this as a positive. A sitting U.S. Senator was subjected to the same kind of harassment that is par for course for the average traveler. Only when they get tired of the crap will the scrap the Department of Homeland Security, send Sibelius back to her pig farm, destroy the TSA and restore sanity.

[MADem]

30. How soon people forget. The Lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy, was put on the frigging no-fly list.

This was around the time I was getting hassled inordinately as well, so I empathized. I wrote to him about my woes, too--he got better results than I did. When Obama was inaugurated, it was like night and day. I went from "Guaranteed hassle" to "Have a nice flight."

Ted had to call the White House because they would not let him board his plane--never mind the prohibitions about not interfering with the ability of a member of Congress to go about their business.

The GOP were chortling with glee. They found it all hilarious.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17073-2004Aug19.html

Friday, August 20, 2004; Page A01
U.S. Sen. Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy said yesterday that he was stopped and questioned at airports on the East Coast five times in March because his name appeared on the government's secret "no-fly" list.

Federal air security officials said the initial error that led to scrutiny of the Massachusetts Democrat should not have happened even though they recognize that the no-fly list is imperfect. But privately they acknowledged being embarrassed that it took the senator and his staff more than three weeks to get his name removed......While he worked to clear himself, Kennedy kept having to wait in terminals at Reagan National, Boston's Logan International and at least one other airport, his staff said. All of the flights were on US Airways. When the senator checked in at the counter, airline employees told him they could not issue him a boarding pass because he appeared on the list. Kennedy was delayed until a supervisor could be summoned to identify him and give approval for him to board the plane....

"That a clerical error could lend one of the most powerful people in Washington to the list -- it makes one wonder just how many others who are not terrorists are on the list," said Reginald T. Shuford, senior ACLU counsel. "Someone of Senator Kennedy's stature can simply call a friend to have his name removed but a regular American citizen does not have that ability. He had to call three times himself."

A Kennedy aide said the senator nearly missed a couple of flights because of the delays. After the first few incidents, his staff called the Transportation Security Administration, which maintains the no-fly list. But even after those discussions about getting his name removed, the senator was stopped again, according to Kennedy spokesman David Smith. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge finally called to apologize about the mix-up, and the delays stopped in early April, Smith said.

[greymattermom]

15. I had exactly the same thing

something on my hands, got taken to the private room and frisked all over. They spent a lot of time explaining how they were going to frisk me with the back of their hands. Who can feel anything with the back of a hand? Is that somehow less intimate?

[mattvermont]

17. as i always decline the 'orgasmatron'

I always get the frisk...quite fun, actually, as it gives you opportunity to make a scene and let others see that there are options.
The hand thing is very funny...they always use the blue glove and no more than glance the naughty bits...I could easily store a wide variety of things where they don't dare go.
Theatrical Terrorism is what they practice.

[madokie]

23. Like this ole gal

http://www.live5news.com/story/21533503/police-find-gun-hidden-in-suspects-private-part

just kid'n

[Skittles]

16. I got roughed up by an old gal at Gatwick

"Do you know why I'm doing this?" she asked and I responded, "Well I HOPE it's for security reasons!" which made the people in the vicinity howl with laughter

[derby378]

18. The lighter side (but still pretty heavy)

YouTube icon Justine Ezarik (aka iJustine) has her own TSA experiences to share - including an "aggressive patdown."

[rocktivity]

24. Postive residue of what?

The article says that she has a metallic knee and that she's pulled out for additional screening often.


rocktivity

[oldandhappy]

25. welcome to our world, senator

Glad you now know what happens to those of us not of the elite class. This has been going on for a looooong time.

[Paul E Ester]

27. Strange

That the executive branch has some kind of "security" power over the legislative branch. It's not like she can do her job without traveling and a US senator cannot travel aboard a plane with out the ok of a security agent of the executive branch.

I thought there would be hell to pay when Kennedy was placed on the no-fly list but the co-equal branches of government are not so equal any more.