Surpise: Former TSA Director Michael Chertoff Owns Body Scanning Company

[Munger]

The body scanner is sure to get a go-ahead because of the illustrious personages hawking them. Chief among them is former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff, who now heads the Chertoff Group, which represents one of the leading manufacturers of whole-body-imaging machines, Rapiscan Systems. For days after the attack, Chertoff made the rounds on the media promoting the scanners, calling the bombing attempt "a very vivid lesson in the value of that machinery"—all without disclosing his relationship to Rapiscan. According to the Washington Post:

Chertoff’s advocacy for the technology dates back to his time in the Bush administration. In 2005, Homeland Security ordered the government’s first batch of the scanners—five from California-based Rapiscan Systems.

Today, 40 body scanners are in use at 19 U.S. airports. The number is expected to skyrocket at least in part because of the Christmas Day incident. The Transportation Security Administration this week said it will order 300 more machines.

In the summer, TSA purchased 150 machines from Rapiscan with $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/01/...t-scanner-scam

It's also awesome that the Senate and House have exempted themsleves from these devices:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101119/...rport_security

[don]

Re: Surpise: Former TSA Director Michael Chertoff Owns Body Scanning Company

In a tough job market, it's encouraging that Michael found gainful employment.

[rabot10]

Re: Surpise: Former TSA Director Michael Chertoff Owns Body Scanning Company

OMG - Im not the best person in this world but has it really come to this?

[Slimprofits]

Re: Surpise: Former TSA Director Michael Chertoff Owns Body Scanning Company

OMG - Im not the best person in this world but has it really come to this?

Oh c'mon, you're surprised?

[tsetsefly]

Re: Surpise: Former TSA Director Michael Chertoff Owns Body Scanning Company

I made a thread about this a couple of days ago, Soros was also invested in the company which would make sense as he probably no longer see's a problem with a growing police state as long as its a democrat in the whitehouse...

Be sure and read Tim Carney’s Examiner column today on the politically-connected lobby for the controversial new TSA scanners that are upsetting airline employees and travelers everywhere. Carney notes that a company called Rapiscan got a $165 million contract for the new body image scanners four days after the underwear-bomber incident this past Christmas. Not surprisingly, Rapiscan is politically connected, observes Carney:

Rapiscan got the other naked-scanner contract from the TSA, worth $173 million. Rapiscan’s lobbyists include Susan Carr, a former senior legislative aide to Rep. David Price, D-N.C., chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee. When Defense Daily reported on Price’s appropriations bill last winter, the publication noted “Price likes the budget for its emphasis on filling gaps in aviation security, in particular the whole body imaging systems.”

Then this morning Carney also noted that former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff was flacking for Rapiscan.
As for the company’s other political connections, it also appears that none other than George Soros, the billionaire funder of the country’s liberal political infrastructure, owns 11,300 shares of OSI Systems Inc., the company that owns Rapiscan. Not surprisingly, OSI’s stock has appreciated considerably over the course of the year. Soros certainly is a savvy investor.


Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op...#ixzz15deZHTUu

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/...w-tsa-scanners