TSA Detains Ron Paul Campaigner at Lambert; Asks Him: "Are You From This Planet?"
Categories: Follow That Story, News
Remember that controversial memo Missouri officials circulated to law enforcement this February? You know, the one that lumped followers of Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty (and other political organizations) as possible militia members?
Well, that memo is getting a new round of attention today courtesy of the Washington Times. The right-leaning paper reports that Transportation Security Administration officials at Lambert Field detained and harassed Steve Bierfeldt, director of development for Campaign for Liberty, as he left a conference in St. Louis last week.
Bierfeldt raised the suspicions of TSA security after they discovered a metal box in his luggage containing $4,700 in cash and checks supposedly garnered from the sale of bumper stickers, books and ticket sales from the Campaign for Liberty conference.
The Times reports that Bierfeldt recorded his interrogation on his iPhone. That tape allegedly has TSA officials threatening to turn him over to the DEA and asking repeatedly where and how he obtained the money and why he was in St. Louis.
When Biefeldt refused to answer questions, TSA officials responded: "Are you from this planet?" and "You want to play smartass, and I'm not going to play your fucking game."
Beifeldt was eventually allowed to board his flight, but the incident has not escaped the attention of Ron Paul, who tells the Times:
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| campaignforliberty.com |
| Steve Bierfeldt |
Bierfeldt raised the suspicions of TSA security after they discovered a metal box in his luggage containing $4,700 in cash and checks supposedly garnered from the sale of bumper stickers, books and ticket sales from the Campaign for Liberty conference.
The Times reports that Bierfeldt recorded his interrogation on his iPhone. That tape allegedly has TSA officials threatening to turn him over to the DEA and asking repeatedly where and how he obtained the money and why he was in St. Louis.
When Biefeldt refused to answer questions, TSA officials responded: "Are you from this planet?" and "You want to play smartass, and I'm not going to play your fucking game."
Beifeldt was eventually allowed to board his flight, but the incident has not escaped the attention of Ron Paul, who tells the Times:
"This sort of encounter is a sign of bad things to come. People need to know their rights, and law enforcement officers, even if their intentions are noble, should never be allowed to bully and detain law-abiding citizens. Steve's experience is a prime example of how our liberties are in real peril and that we need to wake up to what's going on in our country."A few days prior to Bierfeldt's detainment at the airport, the Missouri Highway Patrol stated that it would cease circulating the controversial memo that had offended Libertarians and other political groups.
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