Guest post: Washington’s “sweetheart” deals may have gone too far this time

That is at least what one U.S. Congressman is saying. John Duncan Jr. argued that these body scanners were proof of the type of back room deals that have become synonymous with the federal government.
Mr. Duncan, who was testifying on the House Floor, condemned the Transportation Security Administration  (TSA) for what he called “invasive pat down” and debated the role that lucrative contracts had in delivering the scanners.
He debated the issue further by arguing the cost of installing the scanners $300 million dollars was very beneficial to Michael Chertoff, former head Dept of Homeland Security (DHS). Chertoff represents Rapiscan, the company selling the scanners to DHS.
Mr. Duncan has opened the debate about these contracts with Texas Congressman Ted Poe also investigating Chertoff’s role in these scanners.
While this issue will need further investigation and debate, Congressman Duncan is right to say that there “must be more common sense” and obviously less government intrusion. While these “sweet heart deals” have become the accepted norm in Washington, this time they go too far in what has become a spectacle of the U.S. airline industry and people’s personal privacy and freedom.
By Josh Mead.