TSA to look at Vitter airport incident

[MADem]

Source: CNN updated 2:11 a.m. EDT, Sat March 14, 2009

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Transportation Security Administration is looking into a report that Louisiana Sen. David Vitter had an angry altercation with an airline worker at Washington Dulles International Airport last week.

The agency is not doing a formal investigation, TSA spokesman Sterling Payne told CNN, but it is gathering information to determine if one is needed....Roll Call had a report in its gossip column earlier this week, based on an unnamed eyewitness, that Vitter arrived at the airport 20 minutes before his United Airlines flight was scheduled to depart.

The door to the boarding bridge was already closed, but Vitter opened it anyway, triggering an alarm. The paper said an airline worker warned him not to enter the walkway, which led to a "tirade" by Vitter who "remained defiant."

The source told Roll Call the senator left the area before airport police arrived.





Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/14/vitter.airport/i...

---

He's playing it off as "much ado about nothing." What, did the gate agent tell him that not only was he too late to board, that he set off the alarm by opening the boarding gate door without authorization, but that the economy size box of DEPENDS he had as carry-on wouldn't fit under his seat?

I hope this informal investigation becomes formal, sooner rather than later. I hope there's video, too. There sure was video when young drunken Patrick Kennedy roughed up that airport screener....there surely should be some right next to the gates, yes?

[DesertRat]

1. He was probably in a hurry to change his diaper.

What a tool!

[1620rock]

2. The TSA will have to apologies to him while the gate attendant

will be put on the no fly list.

[DCKit]

3. As much as I detest Vitter and Republicons, in general, this IS much ado about nothing.

I did the same thing a few years back when they locked a gate for no logical reason and simply had to explain to security my circumstance. Thankfully, they weren't assholes and I made the flight - without any press.

Terra, terra, terra has taken over and there is no justification for this BS - especially when a public figure, no matter how divisive, is involved.

Sure I want to see Diaper Dave smacked down, but for what he's done, is and stands for, not for something stupid than any of us might have done.

[MADem]

8. Did you go into a "tirade" and "remain defiant?"

Diaper Dave, apparently, did:

The door to the boarding bridge was already closed, but Vitter opened it anyway, triggering an alarm. The paper said an airline worker warned him not to enter the walkway, which led to a "tirade" by Vitter who "remained defiant."


And, on edit...there's even more from the WAPO:

The report in Roll Call newspaper yesterday that Sen. David Vitter had engaged in a verbal confrontation with an airline employee after missing a flight has attracted all sorts of unwelcome attention for the Louisiana Republican who was already a prime target for national Democrats in 2010.

According to Roll Call's "Heard on the Hill" column, Vitter got to his gate 20 minutes before his plane was set to leave only to find the security door closed. He allegedly opened the door anyway and then engaged in what the paper described as a "'do-you-know-who-I-am' tirade that apparently grew quite heated."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/03/la-sen_...

Yeah, we know who you are--you're the perv who goes to hookers to get your DIAPER changed!

[GinaMaria]

10. From earlier reports

he also pulled the 'do you know who I am' line on them. Given everything that's been revealed about him lately, it's not hard to believe that his nerves were frayed and he responded in a way that he normally would not. However, we live in a post 9/11 world and the last place anyone should act up or act out is an airport. It would have been worse for a regular citizen.

[sce56]

25. Sounds Familiar

After he was taken for questioning, the police report says, Craig pulled out a Senate business card and asked the officer: "What do you think of that?"

[GinaMaria]

31. a senate business card

is not a get out of jail free card or maybe it is.... These entitled public officials need a wake up call.

[No Elephants]

11. I don't know about you, but I've never had the nerve to open a gate in an airport that I wasn't

supposed to open. And, if I did, I'd expect to be detained, searched or whatever. And I would have felt that way before 911, let alone now.

Yes, if I got locked out of my plane too early I might roll my eyes and complain, write a letter of complaint after I got home, but that would be the most. And I am not a shrinking violet.

It is not too much to ask a lawmaker to obey the law, airport rule or whatever he violated.

If he doesn't, too bad if it gets publicized or investigated. This seems to be just another case of yet another Republican who is shocked, shocked, that his own actions have consequences that he does not love.

[caseymoz]

20. The article left an important fact-- it wasn't closed for no logical reason.

In fact, the press as a whole is really obscuring an important detail. Did you notice it said he had left the scene before security had arrived? So either it took security a whole 20 minutes or more to get there, or Vitter went somewhere else in the airport.

Vitter was at the wrong gate!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008847792...

"In a statement, Vitter said he accidentally went through a wrong door at the gate leading to the United Airlines plane he was trying to board."

Went through the wrong door? And security takes more than 20 minutes to arrive? It's not like Vitter had any reason to just leave, he knew they weren't going to detain him.

So, he yanks it open like an ass and sets off an alarm; when he's understandably questioned by employees, he gets arrogant and tries to intimidate them. Then he realizes his mistake, just leaves with security on the way, and goes to the right gate. If any of us had acted like that, do you think airport security or the TSA wouldn't arrest us? In this case, they didn't even file a report.

Vitter was way out of line, a total arrogant asshole, and dead wrong, too. He's not apologetic about it, and after dozens of witnesses seeing it, he tries to deny he was such a total jerk. After the prostitution scandal, he is still to arrogant to keep in mind that he really didn't need more bad publicity. This incident says that Vitter is recklessly arrogant. It won't be for this, but he will go down for something.

I'll have to add something else: did he yank that door open because he thought he was late, or because he wanted to be seated early?

As for the Depends, couldn't he have had them double or tripled bagged? And if he forgot, couldn't he have had his staffer carry them?

[sce56]

24. He needs to get some from NASA!

Astronauts regularly wear diapers during three phases of spaceflight: liftoff, re-entry and spacewalks. Called Maximum Absorption Garments (MAG), these high-tech potty-pants are special: They are larger than normal adult diapers and, according to NASA, considerably more advanced.

[caseymoz]

29. lol. That would have just made the package bigger.

[SpiralHawk]

34. "Jeebus forgives me for being an arrogant Republicon asshole." = Sen. Diaper Dave Vitter

[caseymoz]

38. Ridiculing his physical troubles-- like incontinence is out of bounds.

The problem isn't his physical infirmaries. The problem is he's an asshole.

[Ms. Toad]

39. It isn't incontinence for Vitter

it is a sexual fetish.

[caseymoz]

40. That's a huge assumption. Not unbelievable, though.

But still huge. Just because he sees prostitutes doesn't mean he has that fetish. Also, I don't really care if he saw prostitutes. That's his personal life and between him and his wife.

His insincere apology, though, (which Repubs applauded) was as asshole as the rest his beliefs and behavior.

[Ms. Toad]

41. Whatever the reality,

The posts are making fun about a sexual fetish he is alleged to have - not a medical problem he has never (to my knowledge) been alleged to have.

While I don't necessarily think the former is relevant, it isn't off limits as far as I'm concerned. If the posts were skewering him for an alleged medical problem (which your initial post implied you thought was the basis), I would tend to agree with you.

[caseymoz]

42. I didn't know there was anything out about what fetish he had.

That fact makes me want to re-read the article. Somebody here said he was carrying depends, and I took that at face-value, not as a joke. So, he didn't really have Depends, and I missed the joke?

In that case, it's fair game.

[msanthrope]

43. Google 'Vitter the Shitter.' Not images. Just text. n/t

[caseymoz]

44. Of course, just text !!

Seems like a lot of women know Vitter. I knew he had a heart somewhere, apparently this is his program to help the unemployed-- women especially.

Also it looks like he left them with a bad impression. I'm not expecting them to give him a recommendation once he loses his soiled Senate seat.

[Bandit]

4. Who the hell are they to do investigations?

They are to provide airport security. That is it. That is their job, not to be a police force or an investigative force. hat is why we have Airport Police and FBI. I am sick and tired of agencies like this expanding their roles as a way of obtaining more revenues or attention..How are they trained to do investigations? I would however like to hear the same responses from right wing nuts as we did after Cynthia McKinney's little airport episode.

[No Elephants]

12. Someone acts out in an airport and opens gates he is not supposed to open is a

potential security risk.

And, after he did all that, he was left alone while someone went to get back up. That should never have happened.

I don't think they are going to investigate if Vitter is Bin Lahdin's minion. I think they are going to investigate what happened and why and if the whole thing was handled consistent with the safety of the airport and passengers.

[MADem]

16. Pure speculation here, but maybe they "own" (as in, have responsibility for) the cameras

in that area.

[caseymoz]

27. Not to worry. They're not going to do an investigation.

Saying that they will is a fig leaf for the TSA, because Vitter depantsed them on their home turf. The investigation will be: they will take out a piece of paper to file a report, not naming names.

So, no investigation will occur. Even so, it's not like anyone else could have been left alone after opening an unauthorized door and brow-beating the attendants. If it had been any of us, we'd probably still be at the airport now, with a ticket to jail.

[harmonicon]

5. why the fuck wasn't he arrested then and there?

[MADem]

6. He ran away.

He probably pulled the "I'm a SENATOR" routine, but he departed the area after he saw he wasn't going to get his way.

It's pretty easy to get lost in Dulles--all you have to do is get on one of those people mover doublewide-bus things that take you back to the main terminal, and it is a hop/skip/jump to your car. And that's IF Senators don't have "special" parking near the terminal where the planes park....

[harmonicon]

7. I'm guessing that wouldn't have been the case....

.... if say, his skin were a bit browner.

[scottl]

9. Princes or Senators?

I used to fly quite a bit and while TSA procedures are disruptive, it isn't something that a
Senator shouldn't have to put with like the rest of us "commoners". These are elected officials,
not royalty!

[No Elephants]

13. Not only elected officials, but lawmakers. Welcome to DU.

[caseymoz]

30. He was at the wrong gate, the idiot, I think he just went to the right gate.

That's why he left area. He admits he "opened the wrong door." (As though he should have been opening the right door!) I'm assuming that a staffer stayed behind to straighten things out and prove to security that the raging lunatic was just one of the people running our country. No reason to be alarmed.

I'm certain security shrugged when they found out it was just a Republican Senator committing a misdemeanor and throwing a tantrum when he was told he couldn't do that.

If Louisiana re-elects this guy, it should be treated as a foreign country.

[dgibby]

14. If I recall correctly,

Al Gore used to be pulled out of line, detained and searched on a regular basis, yet I never heard that he had acted in an untoward manner, so if the former VP and Elected President of the US can act appropriately, why shouldn't Sen. Vitter be held to the same standard?

[MADem]

15. They put Ted Kennedy on the no-fly list.

I sent him an email and told him I knew how he felt.

I got the same treatment.

Funny, nowadays, I am never bothered. Before, I was always, without exception, every single fucking time, pulled out of line and given the third degree.

Ain't that special?

[dgibby]

18. It really was a dictatorship.

I knew that little prick wasn't kidding when he said A. It would be easier if this was a dictatorship as long as I'm the dictator, and B. You're either for us or against us. Most people thought that A. he was joking, and B. he was referring to other countries, not US citizens. Scary how close we came.

[MADem]

19. And the real insult was that for the bulk of my lifetime, I held a higher

US government clearance than that little shithead did!

[dgibby]

21. Ha! So did I! I wonder if they ever did give him the code to the football?

I'd almost bet Cheney had it instead of JR.

[Wizard777]

17. They threw a woman off a plane for farting. So they can go after Vitter for creating his big stink.

[DesertRat]

26. Really? I must have missed that story

[Wizard777]

35. I kid you not. They even made an emergency landing to set her off the plane.

[MADem]

36. No--I remember that incident. She was lighting MATCHES to cover up the fart smell--that's why they

landed the plane.

It was around the "shoe bomber" time so everyone was all atwitter about flames on planes.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2108428.html?menu=...

Woman's farts ground plane

A plane had to make an emergency landing - after a passenger struck a match to cover up the smell of her flatulence.

The American Airlines flight from Washington to Dallas, Texas, landed in Nashville when travellers smelled burning.

All 99 passengers and five crew were led off the aircraft and luggage was unloaded.

The plane was searched burnt matches were found under a seat, reports the Sun.

The woman, who lives near Dallas, admitted she struck the matches because she was embarrassed by the smell she was making.

The woman, who has not been named, was released without charge but was not allowed back on the jet.

Donate to DU and give valentine hearts to your friends! Click here.

[Wizard777]

37. I can remember when the Pentagon would trust We The People with it's surplus.

Now we can't even be trusted with matches. But hey anything to distract us from the fact that the Government can't be trusted with our money. While Bush had us living in fear of each other. Bush, Cheney, and their cronies were filling their bottomless pockets. Divide and conquer at it's finest.

[GinaMaria]

32. What? Really?

that's absurd. Our world just gets crazier and crazier doesn't it?

[MADem]

33. Hahahahahaha~`` Those must have been some major chemical warfare bursts!

She may have been suffering from giardiasis....that'll make 'em smell like rotten eggs!!!

[Ian David]

22. Elections have consequences. Repukes can no longer fall under The Dreyling Exemption at airports.

Repuke Presidential Candidate Huckabee's son arrested with handgun at airport
Topic started by IanDB1 on Apr-29-07 07:22 AM (2 replies)
Last modified by indepat on Apr-29-07 08:53 AM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


Republican gets Oklahoma City airport bomb suspect out of jail
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Ian David]

23. I wish I had been the airport security guy:

Vitter: Do you know who I am?
Me: I don't know who you are, Mr. Vitter, but I know who you used to be.

[caseymoz]

28. I could just see what the TSA investigation report of Vitter report will read:

"Unidentified US Senator working undercover performed secret inspection of air terminal door and found it to be in working order, but faced inexcusable obstructionism by airline employees, who negligently in violation of Federal Law, forced Unidentified US Senator to publicly drop his cover. The Unidentified Senator has reprimanded employees off the record for their inattention and ignorance, and mercifully recommends no further disciplinary action.

"Due to the employees' suspicious activities totally unaccountable within their job duties, TSA highly recommends precautionary addition of names to terrorist watch-list, and also referral to the NSA for possible review of employees' last 1-6 years of secret surveillance recordings for, undoubtedly, unpatriotic activities."

Case closed!

[LeftHander]

45. Joe Blow would of been tasered to death....

Jane Doe would of been bound tightly and left in a room to die.