NYC COUNCIL MEMBERS SEEK BAN ON FULL BODY SCANNERS IN NEW YORK

video by Rafael Martínez Alequín

On the steps of City Hall Councilman David G. Greenfield was joined by Council Members Jumaane Williams, Brad Lander, and Fernando Cabrera in support of legislation that would ban the use of full body scanners in New York City, including New York's two airport— JFK and LaGuardia airport. Joining them, Marc Rotenberg an expert in privacy, and professor of law at Georgetown University and President of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

The two company who got the lucrative contract were headed by former Republican Senator Al D'Amato, Park Strategies, and former Home Land Security chief, Michael Chertoff— The Chertoff Group, were the lobbyist, who were instrumental on getting a 175 million contract.

Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield wants to toss X-ray scanners with bill

BY Adam Lisberg
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Friday, November 19th 2010, 4:00 AM

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If City Councilman David Greenfield has his way, X-ray scanners at airports will be gone.

New Yorkers should be protected from new high-tech scanners that peek under travelers' clothing, a Brooklyn pol said Thursday.

"We have turned TSA screeners at our airports into Peeping Toms for no legitimate reason," said City Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn). "This practice must be stopped."

Greenfield introduced a bill Thursday to ban scanners using "backscatter" X-rays, which see through clothes, from city airports and other buildings.

The scanners are much less effective than claimed, he said, yet are wildly expensive - and may subject New Yorkers to dangerous radiation as well as a virtual strip search.

It's unclear whether a city law could stop feds from using the scanners. The Transportation Security Administration said "it is our responsibility to provide the best possible security at airports."

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