The press secretary for Senate Minority Leader [crscore]Harry Reid[/crscore] (D-NV) adamantly denied Friday that he bypassed the TSA line at Reagan National Airport this afternoon, as a source insisted to The Daily Caller.
But she declined to say if he gets such special treatment when accompanied by his “security detail,” which could more accurately be called his palace guard.
“All I can tell you is that he was not at Reagan National Airport today,” said communications director Kristen Orthman. “I am not revealing the security practices of Senator Reid.”
How is describing what Reid does in public revealing something private?
“I am not revealing the security practices of Senator Reid,” she clarified.
Actually, those “practices” are not much of a secret, anyway. TSA spokesman Mike McCarthy told this reporter that, “individuals with a protective detail do not travel through standard security checkpoints.”
In other words, they don’t use the passenger line. Well, not just any “individuals,” only congressional leaders, cabinet secretaries and other government officials get the special treatment.
Regardless, for what other reasons besides ego and imperial inclinations do Reid and the rest of the congressional leadership need to be whisked around by armed guards anyway? Outside Washington, most people would probably would not even recognize him on the street.
Reid sounds like he is just overly impressed with himself. The late Senator Ted Kennedy attended Washington events without any “security detail.” This reporter even observed him walk into a gathering entirely unaccompanied.
And given what happened to his two brothers Kennedy would have legitimate, non-pompous reasons to use bodyguards.
Of course, in 2014, Reid did make good use of his bodyguards when conservative journalist Jason Mattera caught up with him in a congressional hallway and asked some simple questions. After shaking Reid’s hand, Matterra asked the majority leader to explain how he amassed his fortune. Reid ignored him and when Mattera asked again his bodyguard slammed Mattera against the wall.
It is a good thing Mattera never tried to ask Reid any questions at the airport.