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Steve Bierfeldt
The detention by Transportation Security Administration agents of a staffer with the Ron Paul-backed Campaign for Liberty at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport became a cause celebre last week -- in part because the detainee secretly captured an audio recording of his interrogation on his cell phone. On its official blog, the TSA has chastised the agents for their conduct, while still defending the holding of passengers for such seemingly innocuous reasons as the possession of substantial sum of cash.
The tone and language used by the TSA employee was inappropriate."
-- TSA's Evolution of Security blog
In the recording, parts of which were played on Andrew Napolitano's Fox News television show, and a more complete version placed online by the Washington Times, Steve Bierfeldt, Director of Development for the Campaign for Liberty, can be heard being aggressively questioned in a detention room about $4,700 in cash with which he was traveling. When Bierfeldt asks about his rights and the extent to which he is required to answer questions, agents deride him for behaving "like a child." The TSA agents threaten to call in DEA agents and other federal law-enforcement officers to extend the questioning in response to Bierfeldt's resistance.
On its Evolution of Security blog, the TSA conceded:
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee and members of the St. Louis Airport Police Department can be heard on the audio recording. The tone and language used by the TSA employee was inappropriate. TSA holds its employees to the highest professional standards. TSA will continue to investigate this matter and take appropriate action.
While acknowledging concerns about the TSA agent's conduct, the TSA continues to insist that "[m]ovements of large amounts of cash through the checkpoint may be investigated by law enforcement authorities if criminal activity is suspected."
It should be noted that the TSA is not a general-purpose law-enforcement agency, but is specially tasked to guarantee the safety of the transportation system. It's mission statement says, "The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce."
While the use of cash is often used (to the dismay of civil liberties advocates) by police agencies as a means of profiling people who may be engaged in criminal activity, particularly drug transactions, it is not illegal in itself and would seem to pose no threat to the integrity of air travel or any other means of transportation.
"We are becoming far too eager to give away our liberties in the face of false security. We want to make our plane and we don't want a five-minute hassle so we are eager to give up our freedom, and that is unfortunate," Bierfeldt told the Washington Times.
email J.D.: civilliberties (at) tuccille.com
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Comments
I am thinking should I ever decide to fly on an aeroliner I will wear a money belt loaded with ten-million dollars in Monopoly game money.
I would rather carry ten-million in Davy Crockett money but I have not come across Davy Crockett money in stores for decades. Maybe Ebay.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
As is my habit, I have looked over the TSA website, reviewed policy statements and such, gave extra attention to the "civil rights" section so I can develop a more objective viewpoint.
This "cash incident" does seem to violate the TSA "civil rights" policy statements.
Initially, I followed the TSA blog link provided by J.D. Tuccille. My first impression was, "This must be a bogus site, a joke." However, I discovered this blog is a part of the official TSA site, a government site.
At first, this blog seems a ludicrous site. I read almost all articles posted. Some were signatured by people claiming to be TSA representatives. I suppose they are.
This blog is ludicrous because those who appear to be TSA officials come across as being completely clueless. Many of the public participants appear equally clueless.
I expect TSA officials to be exceedingly polite and exceptionally well informed. Neither seems to be true. I do not care if they are polite or rude, this is meaningless. However, I do expect a TSA representative who is responding to the public to really know his "stuff". Surprised me to read those TSA people citing laws incorrectly, repeatedly. This points to much larger problem; lack of knowledge and poor training.
What I read from TSA officials truly amounts to not much more than excuse making and attempts to cover for mistakes and wrong doing.
Maybe this TSA site is a joke, much like many other of our government departments.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
The TSA agents are clealy abusing their authority. Being a cynic, I am quite certain that each of the little Nazis in the recording never missed a minute's worth of work over this, and suffered no consequences for their abuse of this man's Right to Travel.
"The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce."
And delaying a passenger merely for carrying a commercial-class quantity of currency is obviously an integral step towards fulfilling this mission statement.
Yes, folks, only in government.
To those commenters who expected TSA to be "more professional," keep in mind that TSA is the end result of complaints about unprofessional private-sector airline security workers. The government's response: "professionalize" them by taking the very same people, giving them a uniform, and making them federal employees. A painted cowflop is still a cowflop. But look at the bright side -- now it's at least ten times harder to fire the incompetent ones.
Airport security is a sham. Thanks for this article, JD.
Based on what goes on with other law enforcement agencies, I'm surprised he wasn't robbed. They must not have had a clear opportunity to simply pocket the cash.
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