Sen. Paul rebooked flight to D.C. and made it through security after initial run-in with TSA

Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul hit a run-in with Transportation Security Administration officials at the Nashville Airport, delaying his return to Washington and launching a mini-firestorm Monday morning.

Paul, who lives in Bowling Green, was on his way to board a morning flight to Washington and went through a security scan. Then Transportation Security Administration personnel told Paul they also wanted to perform a full-body pat-down.

WSMV-TV , the NBC affiliate in Nashville, quoted Paul as saying the scanning machine had “a glitch” that indicated he had something around his knee. And he said he should have been allowed to proceed without a pat-down after pulling up his pants leg to show TSA officials he didn’t have anything there.

Paul refused the additional pat-down and TSA officials told him he couldn’t board. Paul then posted on his official Facebook page aroud 10 a.m. EST that he “is being detained” by TSA.

“They wouldn’t let him on the plane,” said Paul’s Central Kentucky director Dan Bayens. “He’s still looking for a resolution” in order to get to Washington.

Bayens said Paul re-booked the flight in Nashville and made it through security the second time without incident. His back-up plan would have been to drive three hours to Louisville and catch a flight there.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits the executive branch from arresting members of the legislative branch to prevent “their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same.”