Mon, Sep 03, 2012
Private Aircraft Getting Ready To Depart From RNC In Tampa
As Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) was getting ready to depart from Clearwater, FL, in a private airplane Wednesday, he was reportedly held up by as many as eight TSA agents who blocked them from boarding the plane and taking off. The Congressman, his family, and the pilot were all questioned by the agents, and the plane was searched, according to a report appearing in the Washington Times.
While the TSA agents did not say specifically why they were holding up the Congressman (pictured) and his party, they said GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney "might be nearby."
The paper reports that TSA questioned the pilot's credentials, and insisted that the plane be swept for explosives. The passengers were also searched, but Congressman Paul's wife Carol, who has a pacemaker, refused to submit to a search. An aide began recording the event, and they were finally allowed to go on their way.
Paul has been a vocal critic of TSA. As a candidate for President, he pledged to "End the TSA." He also sponsored the American Traveler Dignity Act, which among other things would prevent TSA from performing "invasive" pat-downs. Ron Paul's son Rand Paul, a U.S. Senator (R-KY), has introduced legislation that would replace TSA with private screeners and establish a passenger bill of rights.
Paul's supporters say he was singled out by TSA because of his position on the agency.
The video has not been made public.
More News
Aero Linx: JAARS Nearly 1.5 billion people, using more than 5,500 languages, do not have a full Bible in their first language. Many of these people live in the most remote parts of>[...]
'Airplane Bounced Twice On The Grass Runway, Resulting In The Nose Wheel Separating From The Airplane...' Analysis: The pilot reported, “upon touchdown, the plane jumped back>[...]
"Burt is best known to the public for his historic designs of SpaceShipOne, Voyager, and GlobalFlyer, but for EAA members and aviation aficionados, his unique concepts began more t>[...]
"Polaris Dawn, the first of the program’s three human spaceflight missions, is targeted to launch to orbit no earlier than summer 2024. During the five-day mission, the crew >[...]
There Are SO Many Ways To Get YOUR Aero-News! It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so he>[...]