"Americans For Truth" Fear Gay TSA Agents -- but Not Body-Scanner Lobbyists
Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) argue that "same-gender" Transportation Security Administration (TSA) "pat-downs" only serve to gratify the carnal desires of homosexual and lesbian TSA agents. Instead of worrying about unfounded prurient jollies, these activists should shut up and stop distracting the public from an ever graver concern -- influence peddling on behalf of body-scanner makers by former political appointees and retired congressmen.
"Isn't it just as inappropriate for a 'gay' male TSA agent to pat down male travelers as it is for a normal, heterosexual male TSA agent to pat down female travelers?" asks AFTAH founder and president Peter LaBarbera.
"The reality is, most traveling men would not want Barney Frank to pat them down at the airport security checkpoint," continued LaBarbera. "Neither would it be fair to assign Ellen DeGeneres to pat down female travelers."According to its website, AFTAH "seeks to apply the same single-minded determination to opposing the homosexual agenda and standing for God-ordained sexuality and the natural family as countless homosexual groups do in promoting their harmful agenda."
It's too bad this "Americans for Truth" organization couldn't devote more of its attention to other lies being spun on Capitol Hill to American airline travelers. In particular, the debate as to whether the more than 450 controversial "naked" body scanners being deployed at airports across the country -- which cost between $130,000 and $170,000 per unit -- can protect passengers and flight crews from Jihadist underwear bombers (or those with similar nefarious intentions).
Unfortunately, determined crazies can still take down U.S. aircraft. In testimony before a House subcommittee, senior TSA officials have admitted uncertainty exists whether body scanners could have even detected the explosive inside the underwear worn by alleged Northwest 253 bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab last December -- nor can the advanced imaging machines detect the presence of rectal explosive devices, according to a published report by the General Accounting Office.
Washington Examiner columnist Timothy Carney contends body scanners are not deployed to protect air travelers from terrorists, but to make money for "a few politically connected high-tech companies and their revolving-door lobbyists."
It's good to see there are no partisan politicians in our nation's capital when it comes to former presidents -- especially Grover Cleveland ($1,000 bill) and James Madison ($5,000 bill). Washington insiders have been swarming Capitol Hill to lobby on behalf of defense contractors who stand to profit handsomely from the latest assault on our personal liberties.
- Military contractor L-3 Communications (LLL) spent $1.75 million in the second quarter alone to lobby Congress on spending by federal agencies, according to the AP. One plugged-in K-Street power broker contracted to win the hearts and minds of Appropriations committee members is former Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY), founder and managing director of Park Strategies.
- Linda Hall Daschle, a former administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration and wife of ex-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), is another prominent lobbyist canvassing the halls of Congress for L-3, according to The Hill's Kevin Bogardus:
The president of LHD Associates, Daschle has earned $100,000 in lobbying fees so far this year working on "matters related to advanced imaging technology" -- body scanners -- among other air-travel issues.
L-3 has already won scanner contracts worth up to $165 million.
Holland & Knight, Rapiscan's outside lobbying firm, has earned $480,000 in fees from the company since May 2008, according to lobbying disclosure records. David Whitestone, a former aide to Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), and John Buscher, once the chief lobbyist for United Airlines (UAL), are lobbying for the company.
- Two names one would never expect to see sitting at the same table have also played a critical role in building out Rapiscan's body-scanning market through their K-Street lobbying efforts and political influence: on the left, billionaire and alleged "One-World Order" enthusiast (and self-avowed "globalist") George Soros, beneficial owner of more than 11,300 shares of OSI; on his right, former Bush Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff -- a Rapiscan lobbyist and principal partner of Chertoff Group.
"In 2009, Rapiscan Systems briefly engaged Chertoff Group, led by Michael Chertoff, as a consultant," Kant said. "In that engagement, Mr. Chertoff and his staff of experts provided Rapiscan with advice and analysis with respect to a limited set of well-defined subjects unrelated to aviation security. Chertoff Group's activities in that engagement were advisory, and neither Mr. Chertoff nor his staff has ever represented Rapiscan in any communications with the U.S. government."
- Another Rapiscan influential lobbyist unearthed by The Examiner's Tim Carney is Susan Carr, a former senior legislative aide to Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) -- chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee!
- And rounding out the obsequious (but egoistic) fawning, OSI chairman and chief executive Deepak Chopra -- who accompanied President Obama to Mumbai last month for the U.S. India Business Entrepreneurship meeting.
Lobbyist watchdog OpenSecrets.org reports that monies spent by Rapiscan for aviation transportation lobbying efforts totaled more than $400,000 in 2009. As of July 26, the company had already expensed about $280,000, according to data on file with the Senate Office of Public Records.
Rapiscan has received orders for multiple scanner units from the TSA; contracts for its Secure 1000 Single Pose Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) systems are worth an estimated $173 million.
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