THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW
Pretty incredible stuff, the videos here at the Advice Goddess. Apparently not a lone wolf operation but the latest escalation in the war on drugs. Because, otherwise…
“So how did Texas troopers hundreds of miles apart get captured on dash cams conducting body cavity searches under nearly identical conditions? ‘The fact that they both happened means there is some sort of (department) policy’ advocating their use at traffic stops, Jim Harrington of the Texas Civil Rights Project told the [New York] Daily News. ‘It’s such a prohibited practice. I don’t know why they think they can do this. It’s mind-boggling.'”
Harrington is an old Lefty ambulance chaser who’s never been shy about exaggerating the facts for political/publicity purposes, but he doesn’t seem to be twisting anything here, thanks to the videos. The searches occurred by the roadside after traffic stops. Apparently no warrants involved. Certainly no legal representation.
So far, one trooper has been suspended, but three more also are involved, in Dallas and Brazoria counties [Actually, there’s more, see my UPDATE below]. And there are at least two lawsuits from these cases now going against the Department of Public Safety, so maybe the rest of us won’t have worry about this every time a trooper decides he smells marijuana.
Can’t speak for the truth of the NYC paper’s report, of course. There’s an old tradition in the news biz that the farther away from the newsroom the story occurs, the looser with the facts the reporter and editors can and tend to be. Especially the Yankee press beating up on Texas and other Southern states.
Via The Advice Goddess
UPDATE: This, it turns out, is old news, indeed. Not just because both incidents happened last summer, but because in May a Dallas County grand jury indicted the two troopers involved there for sexual assault and “official oppression” (interesting name for a law). One was fired and the other is on suspension. The DPS also paid $185,000 in settlement of a civil lawsuit.
In the Brazoria County incident, one trooper was fired and the other is on suspension and DPS is admitting official embarrassment: “The department does not and will not tolerate any conduct that violates the U.S. and Texas constitutions, or DPS training or policy,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw.
The Texas Rangers have investigated and recommended grand jury review and Brazoria County prosecutors are considering it. Their action may be delayed because the case seems to involve the elected county sheriff, Charles Wagner, and one of his deputies, Aaron Kindred. There’s also a pending civil lawsuit, which also includes Wagner and Kindred as defendants.
So the DPS, the Rangers, at least one grand jury and prosecutors are on the case. It’s rogue behavior and not official policy. I’m relieved.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
I followed the link you sent…I believe, at least, I’ve heard, that some of our local Shurf’s boys were in on one of these body intrusions, in some way.
When/if I get stopped, I hope they have had manicures.
Turns out (see update to the post) that it was rogue behavior by overzealous drug warriors. As for the Shurf, Wagner, he may find re-election difficult now.
Hm… a new fashion among the state troopers? Nah…
It’s the damn drug war is my guess. See update. I’m relieved to see the DPS went after its rogue employees.
Oh. So this initiative got squashed. Good.