Naked Body Scanner Companies Heavily Lobbied Politicians to Push Use in Airports

A new report has revealed that manufacturers of the invasive and dangerous new naked body scanners popping up in airports across the country more than doubled their political lobbying spending in recent years. According to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, scanner companies drastically upped their lobbying spending to push for expanded use of the machines under massive government contracts, and some also hired several former politicians and government officials to ensure that such efforts succeeded.

L-3 Communications, for instance, a scanner manufacturer that has sold nearly $40 million worth of scanning equipment to the federal government thus far, has already spent $4.3 million this year to lobby support from Congress. And Rapiscan Systems, another scanner maker, has spent over $271,000 for lobbying purposes this year, as well as hired former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Michael Chertoff to work for the company and promote scanner use.'

Read more...