Texas' TSA 'Anti-Groping' Bill Passes Both Houses

Last week, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) pledged he wouldn't allow the anti-groping bill to come to the floor for a vote and that it was nothing more than a 'publicity stunt.' Today, the bill has been slightly re-worded and has passed both the House and Senate. As the special legislative session is scheduled to come to an end, both Houses need to reconcile their respective versions of the bill. Perhaps adding to the urgency was the fact that a State Rep. and Texas Public Utilities Commission (PUC) were victims of TSA sexual assault.

The 95 year-old woman who had to remove her adult diaper may have put this one over the top.

Via Reuters:

Legislation to make enhanced airport security pat-downs a crime if they involve touching a passenger's "private" areas was approved by the Texas House and Senate on Monday.

The moves came just days after the measure appeared dead when the House speaker called the provisions "unenforceable" and "an embarrassment to the state of Texas."

By passing the bill, the "Texas Legislature is not only telling the (Transportation Security Administration) to change their policies - we're telling the Obama Administration that we will not be intimidated and we will vigorously defend our Constitutional rights," Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, said in a statement.

The two chambers passed similar measures as the special legislative session's conclusion on Wednesday approaches.

Straus' about face on this very welcome news and should serve as a testament to a very engaged Texas public.

Texas Tribune has more.

Gaza Flotilla Part II About to Set Sail

It's being reported that the radical passengers on the second Gaza flotilla will attempt to use chemicals against Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) if the latter attempts to stop the former. In another development, members of the flotilla are crying foul, saying that one of the ships had its propeller cut. Based on the tactics used by these thugs, I have no doubt one of them cut it and is blaming the Jews. My 'Pallywood' antennae are officially up on that one.

Via Ynet:

Military elements monitoring the Gaza flotilla said that radical elements taking part in the sail have said they were planning "surprises for the IDF" and plan to kill many soldiers.

The information suggests that radicals are planning to equip some of the vessels with bags containing chemicals, possibly sulfur, which they will use against soldiers who may try to take over the ships.

It has recently been estimated that only eight ships will take part in the sail, instead of 15. Some 500 activists are expected to board the vessels, half the original estimated number. They will include several prominent Hamas members such as Amin Abu Rashad, who heads a charity in Holland and Mohammed Ahmed Hanoun.

Meanwhile, some activists claim the ships have been tampered with. "They sabotaged the ship. They cut the propeller's hinge below water while the ship was in the port of Piraeus in Athens," Israeli expat Dror Feiler told Ynet. He added that the malfunction is currently being fixed.

Just like in the first Gaza flotilla, the ships have a sufficient supply of useful idiots so the mission can be portrayed as peaceful. Why take hostages when you have willing props like Code Pink's Medea Benjamin?

One of the ships is named 'Audacity of Hope' by Obama friend and former PLO associate, Rashid Khalidi.

h/t GWP

Video: Fired ATF Agent Vince Cefalu Explains Scandal and Termination

Agent Vince Cefalu was terminated from the ATF very shortly after Issa sent a letter to ATF Deputy Director William Hoover, warning him about reprisals against any agents who testified against the agency. With Acting Director Kenneth Melson still heading the agency, Cefalu's termination becomes all the more ironic as he has been among the most outspoken critics of the ATF and the very scandalous Project Gunrunner / Operation Fast and Furious programs, in which countless people were killed due to a 'felony stupid' policy at the ATF.

Cefalu is the agent responsible for starting CleanupATF.org

HERE is a copy of the letter Issa sent to Hoover.

From Fox Business via Sipsey Street:



HERE is more on Cefalu's firing.