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Federal Appeals Court Orders TSA To Explain Delay In Body Scan Public Hearing

New submitter rhsanborn writes "One year ago the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ordered the TSA to hold public comment on the use body scanners in EPIC vs. DHS. The order has been ignored prompting a WhiteHouse.gov petition asking for the Obama Administration's response. One year later, Wired reports, the court has ordered the TSA to explain why it hasn't responded to its original order (PDF). The TSA has until August 30th to respond."

14 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by icebike · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Oh, this ought to work wonderfully.

    Watch this be ignored as well.
    Obama is above the law, and the Appeals court is powerless to do anything to force the TSA's hand. How many divisions of bailiffs can the Appeals Court muster?

    The only solution to this is to get rid of the Security Theater senators and congressmen and start cutting budgets and repealing ill conceived panic legislation put in place a decade ago.

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    1. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

      How many divisions of bailiffs can the Appeals Court muster?

      How many would it take to imprison John Pistole?

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    2. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Force is the only language they understand.

      Arguments about what is or isn't effective mean nothing. Arguments about what is or isn't right also mean nothing. All that matters is what the real consequences (to the ones making the decisions) will be. Until there are some real consequences, they will continue to abuse their power. Count on it.

    3. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      6. executive order: "we don't need to explain."

      it's funny because it's legit.

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    4. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by SuricouRaven · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Stop blaming Obama for this: The TSA was Bush's pet agency, and the introduction of scanners without clear justification or consultation happened on his watch. You can blame Bush for his active role, and Obama for refusing to get involved. Let them share blame.

    5. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by icebike · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Bush is not in office, and couldn't control the TSA if he wanted to.

      This is CLEARLY Obama's problem, and the TSA is acting EXACTLY as he has directed them to.
       

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    6. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by Dishevel · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Agree. Fuck Bush for the creation of the TSA.
      The creation of the TSA and pushing for the Patriot Act are the 2 worst things he ever did.
      Also though. Fuck Obama for his protection of the TSA and the fact that he allows the patriot act to continue on.
      Bush created these travesties, but make no mistake. Obama uses them for his benefit.
      If you think Obama should be shielded from a fuck him as well because he did not start it you are a fool.

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      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
    7. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by tnk1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sure they were, but unless you're telling me that the Obama administration has no power to order it's own departments to turn over court-ordered documents, then they are stonewalling. If they aren't stonewalling, they're impotent.

    8. Re:Ordered to explain why it ignored the order by icebike · · Score: 4, Insightful

      By a democratic congress?
      In an election year?
      Are you Daft?

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  2. So? by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In case the judge is reading this, let me do your job for you. The order needs to be:

    DHS will respond by _________ or I will hold ________ in contempt and order them jailed until you respond.

    Without consequences, your order is something to laugh at, frankly. And that's what they're doing. They've been laughing at you for the last year.

  3. All Bark and No Bite by deweyhewson · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What in the world kind of justice is this? "We're going to tell you to do something, and then, if you don't, we're going to tell you tell us why!"

    I'm sure the TSA are just quaking in their boots.

    Why don't the courts and judges grow some balls, and start issuing warrants for arrests, for contempt of court, if nothing else? At this point, the system is so laughably broken I don't know why anybody even bothers using it in the first place. Vigilante justice is more justice than this farce.

    1. Re:All Bark and No Bite by David+Chappell · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What in the world kind of justice is this? "We're going to tell you to do something, and then, if you don't, we're going to tell you tell us why!"

      The court has to take this step-by-step. The TSA was told to do it, but not given a date. I year has gone by and they still haven't done it. EPIC says that this is too long. The judge has asked the TSA to try to explain why it is taking so long and when they intend to comply. Since he didn't give them a hard deadline, this is only fair.

  4. Speaking of whitehouse.gov petition - wtf? by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I am ordinarily not a fan of e-petitions because they're generally useless; but at least the petition system at whitehouse.gov will require *some* action from the administration. Even if it ultimately serves to highlight how there is no accountability, there is value in that too.

    I know from the 'slashdot effect' that we have far more than the required 25k readers necessary to get this petition through, yet instead people would rather complain about how nobody is doing anything.

    Folks, it doesn't get any easier to "do something" than this.

    Or do you think that the BATF is going to come barging down your front doors because you gave your email address and zip code to register to sign the petition?

  5. Response from the TSA... by Coolhand2120 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because fuck you.