TSA does surprise check at Lamar Boulevard Amtrak

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/tsa-does-surprise-check-at-lamar-amtrak

I posted the following to Amtrak's Facebook page.

 

Seriously, I can't think of a more unlawful search than the TSA using narcotics dogs. They shouldn't even own narcotics dogs. This stuff makes me think more like Alex Jones than I like thinking.

 

I have been having a Twitter discussion with the "reporter" (I use the term loosely), and the article has been modified with a new paragraph.

https://twitter.com/chrissadeghi/status/294568989651238913

Right. I find it very doubtful that a passenger who declined to have his bag searched or sniffed would be allowed to board.

 

"“The security at airports has increased so the bad guys are now traveling on the trains and buses,” said Robinson."

Well, to them we're BAD GUYS who refuse to get with the program, so I guess he's got that right.

"Right. I find it very doubtful that a passenger who declined to have his bag searched or sniffed would be allowed to board."

They ever try this when I'm on the rails, we're gonna find out real damned quick. Ain't no vacation trip worth rolling over on that.

 

Oh, and by the way Obserstfuhrer Robinson, I have yet to run into a "Bad Guy" of the Turrist or any other variety on the train.

Liar liar, plants for hire.

 

Posted this comment at the article. Copying it here in case it gets Sammied.

 

Comments are universally negative. DHS has lost the country.

 

I asked the reporter how he found out about it if it was a "surprise" visit.

https://twitter.com/chrissadeghi/status/294578657660387329

So it was nothing more than a show of force. Because they could.

 

Well, when they have a fourth estate that's become a lazy, willing PR department, why not take advantage of it?

I bet the passengers were provided too.

 

Tell him to take a look at his own citizens comments on the article, and go see his doctor for a headuptheassectomy.

 

Another news report, with video.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/20680202/vipr-team-searches-amtrak-station

"If you don't have anything to be uncomfortable about, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable that they're doing it", says fine, upstanding United States citizen Rene.

 

Beat me to it!

 

Another video.

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/tsa-does-surprise-check-at-lamar-amtrak

The obsequiousness of most reporters to DHS and DHS is depressing.

OMG! There are 140,000 miles of active railway that don't have nearly the security of the skies!

I wish one of the dumbass reporters would wonder, "Well, there are 4 million miles of roads in this country, don't we need highway checkpoints where your cars are sniffed for bombs and drugs too?"

My blood is boiling.

 

that's why there is a move to confiscate weapons. they don't want to have to care about that.

 

As far as I know, not once has there ever been a bomb detonate on an Amtrak train.

But numerous car/truck collisions have occurred at grade crossings by drivers who tried to beat the gates, and at least one train derailed because of track sabotage.

Again, blood boiling, must calm down.

 

CW's on the ball this time. Legis-leeches are going to get another nastygram and I hope to have it composed, proofread, revised (if necessary), printed and mailed by next week.

2 questions:
-1: I have a mail-merge list done up for my usual recipients. Is there anyone that my fellow TUGizens would suggest including? Station manager? Amtrak management? I may need to compose separate letters to them, as the nature of the correspondence would be different ("push back harder when they push you" versus "Use your goddamn authority and rein them in"). But I could do it.
-2: See my brainstorm below. Chime in if you think of anything. This is me, tired and frazzled, getting ideas down. I promise to weave them into something coherent once I've had a good night's sleep.

-Makes no sense
--Unmonitored track - can be bombed/mined/sabotaged
--Unmonitored stations - drive 30 min. and no TSA at next stop
--Train can be attacked anywhere along the way (RPGs?)
--Train can't be driven into buildings like plane

-Bad for Amtrak business
--Travelers turning to rail explicitly to avoid TSA

-Unconstitutional
--NO (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted)

-Checking for drugs, drugs not a terrorist threat
--Maybe don't use this. Credibility?

-What legal statute requires pax to cooperate?
--None?

-US citizens need some means of traveling that is guaranteed to be free of TSA. If not rail, what?

 

CW, I would specifically make mention of drug dogs. What kind of Administrative Search allows for such? Stick it to them, all of them!

 

I should probably read up on Administrative Search regulations. I start falling victim to Saul's problem - it pisses me off so much I can't see straight and I get distracted before I'm done reading.

 

For TSA the search is limited to the purpose of finding WEI when boarding airplanes. Nothing else.

 

What you need is already in TUG:

• U.S. v. Fofana (Admin. Search Evidence Suppressed)
• U.S. v. Aukai (Completing Administrative Search)