Texas government profits from TSA confiscations

“The purse and sword must not be in the same hands…” – George Mason, speaking at Federal convention of 1787

Helen Anders of the Austin American Statesman wrote about how, as she called it, “confiscated — sorry, surrendered — items” from TSA airport checkpoints make their way to the Texas State Surplus Store.

Sales benefit the government: “In 2010, the state’s general fund was enriched $300,000 by the storefront’s sales.”

You can find things like snow globes (too much water for TSA), tools, knives, and pizza cutters. One Austin artist said:

“I’m a local artisan, and I come here and get cheap tools…Look at this one. It’s really nice. It has its own case. That would be $20 in a store. It’s three bucks here.”

A government store selling items confiscated by TSA, a government agency, making money for the general fund? A conflict of interest occurs when greed goes hand-in-hand with law-making. Maybe George Mason should be required reading in school.