On July 4, Southwest Airlines staff prevented Gilmore from boarding a pre-paid flight from Oakland to Washington, D.C, where he intended to petition the government to alter the ID check. He then went to San Francisco International Airport and tried to purchase a similar ticket on United Airlines. Both airlines, though unable to identify any actual regulation requiring him to identify himself, prevented him from flying. United stated that they were following an unwritten regulation that had only been communicated to them orally, and which changes frequently.

Who's John Poindexter?

A retired Navy Admiral, John Poindexter lost his job as National Security Adviser under Ronald Reagan, and was convicted of conspiracy, lying to Congress, defrauding the government, and destroying evidence in the Iran Contra scandal.