Rep. Ron Paul is using Monday’s high-profile incident of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) detaining his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, at a Tennessee airport to raise money for his presidential campaign.
In an email to supporters, the Texas congressman asks for donations to his campaign so he can work to end the agency. (RELATED: Ron Paul on son’s detention by TSA: ‘Police state’ is ‘growing out of control’)
“Please, give whatever you are able right away to our End the TSA Money Bomb to help us keep the spotlight on this out-of-control organization and restore respect for freedom and common decency to the White House,” Paul said in a an email to supporters. The campaign’s fundraising goal for the fundraising campaign is $250,000. (RELATED: Jay Carney defends TSA’s handling of Sen. Rand Paul, quibbles over ‘detained’)
The Kentucky senator says he was detained while going through security at the Nashville airport after getting into a dispute with TSA officials. (RELATED: Rand Paul on TSA detainment: ‘I was barked at: ‘Do not leave the cubicle!”)
As Ron Paul tells it, “After an ‘anomaly’ turned up in his body scan as he was trying to board a flight in Nashville, Rand showed that he was clearly no threat and asked to go through the scanner a second time.”
“Instead of tolerating this common-sense idea, TSA officials demanded he undergo a full body pat-down. Rand stood up for his rights and refused — and was then detained by the TSA and prevented from getting on his flight,” Ron Paul said.
The TSA disputed the characterization that Paul was detained, even though they admit he was escorted out of the security area by local law enforcement. (RELATED: Sen. Rand Paul ‘detained’ by TSA in Nashville, TSA denies)
“I’m proud of my son’s stand,” Ron Paul said, “but just imagine those who receive this kind of treatment every day in our nation’s airports and can’t fight back?”
“As president, I pledge to do everything in my power to strengthen our national security by ending the theatrical sham that is the TSA,” he said.