TSA Tuesdays: A Response on Valet Car Searches

As a follow-up to last week's report that the TSA was searching parked valet cars, good 'ol TSA Bob over at the TSA Blog has responded to the story, flatly denying that the TSA would ever partake in something so heinous (emphasis mine):

It has been reported that TSA Officers at airports are now searching cars. The news started to spread after a story ran  this week stating that a woman found a notice informing her that her car had been searched by TSA. The short version: While we deploy numerous layers of security, TSA officers are not inspecting cars or mandating that they be searched.In this case, it turns out the car was searched by an employee of a car parking service. Each airport authority, along with its state and local law enforcement partners, is responsible for securing airport property, including the outer perimeter.  At this particular airport, car searches are part of their “airport security plan.”An airport security plan addresses a myriad of security requirements that each airport must adhere to in order to protect the traveling public, which includes the physical security of the airport property. While the airport security plan is approved by the TSA, it is up to each airport authority and its state and local law enforcement partners to follow the plan that has been implemented.

Bob tries to wash his hands clean of the search by emphasizing that the car was searched by an employee of a car parking service, and not by a TSA agent. If we continue to follow his post-denial explanation, we see that the search is part of that airports "security plan", which is...approved by TSA!So did TSA order the search of the car or not? The notice on the woman's car certainly seems to indicate the search was done under the authority of the TSA.Now let's compare TSA Bob's claims with the original report of the incident from NBC affiliate WHEC in Rochester, NY. According to the story:

Iacuzza's car was inspected by valet attendants on orders from the TSA. But why only valet parked cars? That's what News10NBC wanted to ask the TSA director about.  We reached him by phone.Berkeley Brean asked, “Are the cars in the short term lots and long term lots getting searched as well?”John McCaffery, TSA, said, “No, those vehicles that are in the garage, short term long term parking, even if they carry pretty large amounts of explosives, they would not cause damage to the front of the airport. But for those who use the valet, the car could be there for a half hour or an hour so there is a vulnerability.”

According to this report, the information that the car was searched by valet attendants is nothing new. The key is here is that the search was performed "on orders from TSA." Not a request, not a suggestion, an order. Could the valet attendant or the car parking service have turned down the request to search the car?

News10NBC went to the valet parking and one of the attendants showed us the notice they put in the cars.We asked, “You're required, they tell you, you have to search the car?” Valet Parking Attendant Frank Dettorre said, “I have to do it.”

And then this...

TSA says this is part of its overall security plan and that it's a proactive move. The attendants said they've only been doing it for about a month.

So let's recap. TSA Bob denies any responsibility by the TSA for the search of this woman's car. Yet, the car searches are part of the TSA's "overall security plan" and the search was ordered by the TSA. Got that?It's a little thing called "TSA Logic."P.S. If you have a few minutes and want to really enjoy yourself, check out the comments section on the TSA Blog post. It is DELIGHTFUL.Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!