Update: Villaraigosa stepped through a scanner this morning afternoon to express his solidarity with unwarranted x-ray vision. The scan is said to have revealed free Lakers tickets in his pocket. See a correction regarding Gloria Allred after the jump. First posted at 9 a.m.

Only a week after a Southern Californian became a national hero for refusing the full-body scanning and sexual groping of airport security, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his full support for the x-ray-like scanners.

The mayor was scheduled to issue “a statement in support of the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) use of Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) scanners” at an event at LAX Monday morning, his office announced.

Good timing.

According to Mayor V's people”

The Mayor has been an advocate for use of new technologies and tactics to keep Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on the cutting edge of airport security. LAX is considered the top terrorist target on the West Coast. AIT scanners are being installed and used by TSA in each of the terminals at the airport.

Pretty much the entire planet is fed up with the TSA's invasive security screening, including its porn-like views of your body and the kind of groping that would put Gloria Allred in sue-your-ass overdrive, and the mayor is standing up for this?

Corrected: Allred has actually expressed her support for TSA groping.

Over the weekend even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she wouldn't want to be screened in that way herself, “Not if I could avoid it … who would?”

Our previous rant following would-be passenger John Tyner's words heard around the world (“If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested”) highlighted the fact that the x-ray vision and genitalia grabbing have not made us any safer.

In fact, the shoe bomber and alleged underwear bomber who led us down this road were discovered and subdued by passengers and/or flight staffers — not by x-rays and security gropers. During the 2009 holiday season, in fact, the government dropped the ball on the underwear bomber. He was on a watch list.

Now our nuts are on the grab list.

In this case though, what amazes us is that Villaraigosa, a man who has allied himself with the ACLU in the past, is down for the porno-vision machines the rest of America seems to loathe.

And all those overpaid publicists on his 200-strong staff didn't tell him that maybe taking this stand, at this time, was maybe a bad idea?

Good work, TSA. Good work Villaraigosa administration.

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