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Rant

Carrying Cash? "You're a Terrorist."

Posted 34 months ago|38 comments|2,180 views
VIDEOS
Written by
Chris D
Seattle, WA
More civil liberties are being trashed. Film at 11.

The TSA (Transportation Security Administration – or “airport security”) and the St. Louis police detained a Ron Paul supporter for suspiciously carrying cash onto an airplane. The guy was carrying just over $4000 from bumper sticker and book sales from a libertarian rally in Washington, D.C. The police and TSA officials harassed the man, repeatedly. The kicker is that the man recorded it all on his cell phone.

You have to watch the YouTube video to listen the recording. It’s shocking.

The incident comes right on the heels of the leaked “Modern Militia Movement” report, which suggests that Libertarian Party members and anti-abortion advocates are on the same level as terrorists or the KKK. (I Ranted about the report last week.)

I don’t like FOX News’ sensationalism, and when I heard Ron Paul give a speech on the campaign trail, I was instantly convinced that he has a screw loose. But I have to give FOX credit: they followed up a shocking story when other media was silent. No one deserves to be harassed by the government because of his or her beliefs.

---

The guy in the video knew his rights. Make sure that you know the questions to ask a police officer in a confusing situation, and the statements to invoke your constitutional rights.

"Am I under arrest?" "Am I free to go?"

“I have nothing to say." "I would like to speak to an attorney."

---

(H/T Donklephant.com)
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COMMENTS
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
 Puyallup, WA
34 months ago: I have to side with the TSA officials. Their job is to stop suspicious characters from harming the rest of us. What is not suspicious about someone carrying $4500 in cash and refusing to answer simple questions. Sure, he may not be required to answer those questions, without an attorney, but had he answered the questions, it's possible that he wouldn't have even missed his plane.

It bugs me when whiny people like this think they're standing up for civil liberties, when, in reality, they're just acting like pain in the arse punks.
TheLegendTomWing
TheLegendTomWing
 Administrator
 Philadelphia, PA
34 months ago: I have to say, Alex, normally i would agree with you, but possessing cash doesn't make you a terrorist. For example, i had a ton of cash on my person when i travelled to china, does that make me a terrorist.

That man was well within his rights, Ron Paul doesn't make you a terrorist or militia member, it just means you support a member of our government. This assertion that if you are a supporter of a conservative makes you a terrorist, i'm scared to see what's going to happen next. Maybe all McCain campaign supporters will be hanged in times square.
34 months ago: Wow, unbelievable. Somebody please tell me. When was it made illegal to carry cash? Of any amount?

And Alex, how is an American, in America, with a big wad of money going to harm someone? Make little airplanes out of it and throw it at your eyes?
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
 Puyallup, WA
34 months ago: I'm not suggesting that its illegal to carry cash. But, I would say carrying $4700 in cash, in a box, then refusing to answer any questions about it is suspicious. I'm sure, if he had just said, "It's from ticket, merchandise sales and donations from a rally," he probably wouldn't have been kicked around as much.

And his argument, that he had heard Ron Paul supporters were being targeted as domestic terrorists, is ridiculous. My guess is they didn’t even know his political affiliations until they questioned him for having $4700 in a carry-on.

Also, I never said anything about him being a terrorist or militia member. In the tape they tell him they're taking him to a DEA office. So, I'm assuming they thought he was guilty of drug dealings, or something, not terrorism, which I’d say is a reasonable assumption. It's rare that innocent people refuse to answer questions.
34 months ago: Why is $4700 in cash suspicious for TSA? This was not a traffic stop. This was airport security. They had no right or reason to question him about his job or his cash. So what if it was illegal cash? They are TSA, their job is to keep passengers safe not arrest tax evaders or drug dealers. Maybe they should run every passenger through a Federal database and check for outstanding parking tickets or child support too. Those are worthy goals. But it isn't their job.

If he had been traveling internationally carrying in excess of $10,000, undeclared, then customs would have been responsible for questioning him and potentially confiscating the cash.
34 months ago: I'm siding with the Ron Paul guy. All he wanted to know were his rights and if he has to whine to know them then so be it. This country was founded on the idea of unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These officers were trying to deny his liberty to not self-incriminate himself. If they were getting annoyed by him asking for his rights, thats their problem.
34 months ago: Alex Layton;
Less than $5000 is not a lot of money these days. & tomorrow it's value will be even less

We do not know whether it was his cash or the bumper stickers that made him suspicious to the man in the uniform caring a gun, but we do know that we do not want people in positions of power to abuse that power, ever.

We do know that legally he was not required to answer these questions. If he had, the subsequent questions may well have been even more personal. They could have questioned him about his sexual orientation, his voting history, who his friends are, or what he had for breakfast. None of these things are relevant to whether it was safe to allow him to fly or not.

We should all know what our rights are & more importantly, we should all know what the limits of those in positions of authority are.


34 months ago: Mr. Layton,

If an American citizen has the right to remain silent if arrested, then why do they not have that same right when simply being questioned and not arrested? Is your conservatism clouding your perception of Civil Liberties? It CERTAINLY IS a matter of principal. Our great nation was founded on PRINCIPALS of individual liberty - how can you so casually suggest that someone like the gentleman harassed by the TSA has no right to stand on basic American principals of liberty? Are you simply a fascist who wraps themselves in the American Flag and pretends to be a patriot???? If you are truly a patriot and loyal American, then start acting like one and stand up for American rights and civil liberties instead of downplaying their value.
TheLegendTomWing
TheLegendTomWing
 Administrator
 Philadelphia, PA
34 months ago: Alex! I'm surprised at you!

I am definitely a conservative, i think the ACLU is useless, a bunch of whiney liberals.

But i have to say, this guy was within his rights, and rights i agree with. Yes it is suspicious, but they had no proof, he had no obligation to answer their questions, and I would've done the same thing.

These TSA people do their very best to get you to say something, any attorney would have said the same thing accept not as respectfully.
Rudi Stettner
Rudi Stettner
 Moderator
34 months ago: What is galling is that police are not allowed to use their powers of observation properly. They have to stop some little old lady with a walker and a home care attendant just to prove that they aren't "profiling" I think that a certain measure of common sense should be employed. A am more worried about wiretapping and monitoring political groups. I stopped for plenty of security checks in Israel. It doesn't bother me
34 months ago: U.S. Customs isn't that bad. Unless you have over $10,000.00 to declare. Now the TSA has more stringent guidelines than the U.S. Customs?

Straight off the U.S. Customs website...

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not collect duty on currency. However, travelers leaving or entering the U.S. are required to report negotiable monetary instruments (i.e. currency or endorsed checks) valued at $10,000 or more on a "Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments" form FinCEN 105.

You can obtain the form in advance and download it from here FinCEN 105, or a CBP officer can give it to you upon your departure or return to the U.S.

Failure to declare currency in amounts of over $10,000 can result in its seizure.

Information on the FinCEN 105 is provided to the IRS, and they determine whether or not the importation of monies constitutes income subject to taxation.

The requirement to import currency on a FinCEN 105 does not apply to imports of gold bullion.


34 months ago: I think the real point is that TSA has a job to protect passengers. They are not supposed to play Miami Vice or Dirty Harry and bust criminals. They are not customs, they do not look for contraband. The problem is that in their fantasy life, they see themselves as the uber-xxx-badass-supercops so if grandma winks at someone, she better be feeling lucky or she's going down because I can say I think she's a terrorist.

Rudi, as for the extent of random or scheduled security searches and checks in Israel, I have absolutely no problem with that. I would comply as it is the law there. My problem with this, is that it is NOT the law in the USA. This was pure intimidation and totally outside their authority. I live outside the US and have plenty of experience with stupid corrupt cops that feel big and bad cuz they wear a gun and this is not what America needs.
34 months ago: Customs had absolutely no role to play here as this was an inland flight. There are no limitations beyond commonsense when carrying cash within the US. .
34 months ago: You missed the point. I agree.
34 months ago: Just to keep it fair. I went to the TSA website and tried my best to find anything about money.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

So? My next question is. When will the TSA post all of the camera shots of this insane encroachment on civil liberties? You can find all of their (TSA positive) department supportive videos online. How about their worst videos? I want names and faces!
34 months ago: Here is the official TSA screening process.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1049.shtm

Notice it says

"If you refuse to be screened at any point during the screening process, the Security Officer will deny you entry beyond the screening area. You will not be able to fly."

It doesn't say "if you refuse to answer my questions".
Oh wait. Screening is answering questions.
Even if they are an encroachment in your civil liberties.
Glad to hear that! I see racial profiling making a rebound!
Hey, we now have an official U.S. Government precedent on "screening"!

We can finally close the borders! Thanks TSA.

TheLegendTomWing
TheLegendTomWing
 Administrator
 Philadelphia, PA
34 months ago: Segregation was unconstitutional, but was still done. Just because they did it, doesn't make it right.

Well put Cypress!
34 months ago: This is why foreigners hate to fly via the US. Oh, and the "I'm just going to use the back of my hand" as they feel you up. I fly quite a bit and even being an American, I hate dealing with TSA. I go through airport security everywhere else and it isn't so personally offensive and invasive. Once you go through the metal detector, why do they need to feel your pockets, backside and bosom? "Oh, what is this?" Oh a dangerous exploding tampon or chapstick.

Oddly enough the draconian and irrelevant security measures are seemingly much more inward focused. It reminds me of the old joke about the Soviet Express Card---Don't leave home!
34 months ago: Yeah, I feel what you mean. My favorite encounter with TSA wasn't even mine. I sent the wife and son to Indiana a few years ago to visit Grandma. I was standing outside the screening gate waving bye and my wife and son were pulled to the side and almost strip searched while I was waving goodbye. I guess TSA saw me (all 6' 5" blue eyes and blonde hair) waving goodbye. Maybe they profiled my wife and son (also fairly anglo looking as you might guess) because I was waving goodbye. It's really hard for me to think they would actually search my son (then 6) and make him take off his shoes. Isn't that what we pay the sniffing dogs for? I make him wear a Keffiyeh now and he is pretty much left alone.
34 months ago: Huh? You think he is stupid for keeping the cash which he is responsible for (sales) close to him? I work in a cash business which hauls in ten times that everyday. My people are responsible for that money until it hits the cashier.

It's not anyones business where that money comes from as long as it is reported on the company statement and to the I.R.S.

PERIOD...
34 months ago: Was it the cash (4-5 grand is not a lot of money) or the bumper stickers for Ron Paul that got him into all this trouble ? If he was in Missouri, we would know for sure.
34 months ago: They saw what they thought was a boat load of money (around 4,700). I'm guessing the Ron Paul stuff was in the same bag. I'd like to see the email that was referred to as being sent to the law enforcement authorities regarding Ron Paul associates being terrorists, etc.

Your right 4,700.00 in cash is not alot in a daily cash business. I guess most of it was bumpersticker sales and the guy had a suitcase full of one dollar bills. Making it LOOK larger the it really was. 4,700 in hundred dollar bills would fit in a wallet (might be bulky but would fit).
34 months ago: Sorry TC. yeah ST. Louis. Link your proof so we can read it.
34 months ago: The idea of banking the cash immediately is nice but wasn't he working a convention in a strange city? If you finished selling books Saturday night or Sunday afternoon in Upper Podunk, what bank are you going to? My bank doesn't have a 24/7 branch in St Louis, MO so I guess I'd be carrying the cash home too besides it wasn't all that much. You could be going to buy a used car at an auction or some other perfectly normal activity. I can see several hundred grand raising eyebrows but it still isn't illegal to carry on an inland flight. It is still perfectly legal to be naive or stupid in the USA.
East Dallas Matt
East Dallas Matt
Dallas, TX
34 months ago: It wasn't an email, it was a report issued by the Missouri Information Analysis Center to Missouri Police. The report identifies those who display bumper stickers for third party political candidates including, specifically Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin, as potential domestic terrorists. The MIAC has since withdrawn the report.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&num=100&q=MIAC%20Ron%20Paul%20Report
34 months ago: That report was withdrawn, but they are not saying who wrote &/or authorized it for distribution in the first place. Inquiring minds want to know who this is.

The Bob bar & Ron Paul activists better not let the perpetrators of this kind of abuse of authority go quietly into the night. They should be howling for a public inquiry, & they will get one.

This is the Info Wars at its finest. The instant exposure & public discussions of an event like this is what will ultimately expose & bring down the planners of the NWO.

As long as the internet stays free, we the people, will come out on top in the end.

Live Free or Die !
34 months ago: Fair enough Siempre. I'll bite.
Let's say for your arguements sake.

You have a small business that makes widgets to sell at craft fairs call them Siempre Sombreos.

You work all week producing the widgets that you think you might sell at craft show during the weekend (in another state). You load all of your hard work up and fly to the craft show (in another state) and work the craft show selling most but not all of your widgets.

Since you didn't sell all of your widgets you are probably taking some back to your production plant with you. The cash sales - your money - will also in one form or another make it to your plant for processing. You worked all week producing and then traveled to another state to sell your goods. Right? This is the U.S. and you should be able to take that money in any form back to your plant for processing.

34 months ago: I think we can all agree that simple possession of $500 $5000 or $50,000 is not a crime of any kind in America, & our carrying of cash, no matter how foolish you may consider this action to be, is personal.

The tape reveals that a higher authority was observing the interrogation & wisely called off the dogs.

The question is, if there was no money in the box at all, just bumper stickers for Ron Paul, would he have been taken out of line & interrogated anyway ?

If this was a story coming out of Missouri, we would know the answer.

All this talk about widgets, sombreros, & money is off the topic of concern (It is interesting to know that the sale of Ron Paul bumper stickers can be such a lucrative venture though. If the CIA wasn't so hooked on their heroin trade revenues, they could consider this as a black ops budget funding option).

Keep to the topic of who is criminalizing our third party political system.
34 months ago: Just for reference, St Louis is in Missouri and while it isn't the capital, it is the largest metropolitan area in the state.

As for the $4000, if you are selling stuff at a convention with attendance of 10,000 people, that is not an unrealistic amount of cash, even for bumper stickers and t-shirts, although there may have been some book sales in there too. Of course that would only be cash sales and the gross amount not net profit. People who spend money to attend a convention, also bring money to buy stuff. (It is very much like buying t-shirts at a rock concert.)

TerryConspiracy, you're right, the real issue is the interrogation. I don't, however, believe that there is a real essential difference between questioning the cash or questioning the bumper stickers. Neither one is illegal to carry on board a plane. I think the TSA attracts wannabe Rambo's that are heroes in their own minds but couldn't make it to be real cops. They appreciate their ultimate power over who flies and who doesn't. You notice in the tape that the only foul language was from the officials--a passenger can't talk like that and get on a plane.
34 months ago: The best place for your money, is always going to be in your pocket. Suitcases get lost. Purses & wallets get snatched. A wise traveler keeps what is precious in his pockets.

This is a story coming out of Missouri, "a report issued by the Missouri Information Analysis Center to Missouri Police" agencies has directed state security to be suspicious of third party Presidential candidate activists. This was an information shakedown. Bet on it!
Robert Ironwolf
Robert Ironwolf
Queen Creek, AZ
34 months ago: I love how the 4th Amendment has been eviscerated by our congress, unfortunately people we have voted into office. Our own governments website will tell you exactly what the 4th Amendment says. http://tinyurl.com/6rcpr7 When has it been against the law to carry less than $10,000?

The 5th Amendment at the same above tiny url says "nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself," I would think in this instant this would also apply.

Miranda Rights. You do not have to be arrested to follow these rights. If you are arrested then they do have to advised you of those rights. But they are not compelled to until you are arrested. If you are stupid enough not to realise this then its your fault. However this gentleman was smart. He knows his rights.

According to this website http://www.usconstitution.net/miranda.html, this is the minimal Miranda Warning: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense.

Just my two cents.
34 months ago:





"I was obviously with the campaign and I was aware of that report. I didn't want to tell them off the bat that I worked for the campaign and Ron Paul, because the report said we were potential members of the militia, and that's why I asked what my rights were," Mr. Bierfeldt said.

Mr. Paul, a U.S. House member and honorary chairman of the grass-roots lobbying organization, said he was "rather shocked" by the incident.

"This sort of encounter is a sign of bad things to come," said the Texas Republican and 2008 presidential-primary contender.

"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," Mr. Paul said. "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."
TheLegendTomWing
TheLegendTomWing
 Administrator
 Philadelphia, PA
34 months ago: Thought this was relevant:
April 6, 2009


Dear Friend of Liberty,

Campaign for Liberty’s very own Steve Bierfeldt has become an unexpected Internet sensation -- and the latest target of over-reaching federal government agents.

You see, Steve was detained by Airport Police and TSA officials shortly after the Campaign for Liberty regional conference in St. Louis.

The officials rudely berated and harassed Steve for 30 minutes in a secluded room at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Fortunately, Steve was able to record nearly all of the interrogation with his cell phone.

Steve’s alleged “crime”? Carrying $4,700 in checks and cash from Campaign for Liberty, along with various other materials from our conference.
TheLegendTomWing
TheLegendTomWing
 Administrator
 Philadelphia, PA
34 months ago: The local and Federal agents harassed Steve. They were belligerent, cursing and using insulting language. They threatened to turn Steve over to the DEA and the FBI, all the while refusing to inform him of his legal rights or explain how cash and checks threatened airplane or airport security.

Throughout the interrogation, Steve remained polite but resolute and declined to answer the invasive questions without an adequate explanation from these federal and local agents as to why they needed to be answered. Without telling Steve what law he was accused of breaking, they continued their harassment.

Although they grew increasingly frustrated that he remained committed to exercising his rights, intervention from another officer eventually led the police to reluctantly release Steve.

Last Wednesday, Steve appeared on Judge Napolitano’s Freedom Watch to discuss the flagrant violation of his rights and to promote the importance of each of us defending our civil liberties.

Now, Steve’s appearance on Freedom Watch – which features several minutes of the audio tape – has gone viral.

Click here to watch the segment, which has become one of the most viewed videos on YouTube.

Steve’s ordeal is a reminder to all patriots that liberty is constantly under fire, and we must remain vigilant and prepared to stand up for our rights.

That was sent to me by the campaign for liberty.
34 months ago: ^^^^^^This

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