Webb says he did not give aide his gun

[-..__...]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) said Tuesday that he did not give staffer Phillip Thompson the pistol whose possession got the aide arrested Monday when he tried to enter the Russell Senate office building.

“I have never carried a gun in the Capitol complex and I did not give the weapon to Phillip Thompson, and that’s all that I think I’ll say,” Webb told reporters.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/webb-says-he-did-not-give-aide-his-gun-2007-03-27.html

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So, what's the scoop here? Was Thompson outright lying when he said Webb gave him the firearm?

Or was he telling the truth and now he's going to change his story and fall on his sword for Webb?

[seriousstan]

1. CYA as always

[roody]

25. What does CYA mean?

[rocktivity]

28. Cover you ass

It's not so much assigning blame as it is making sure you're blameless.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Megahurtz]

2. I Thought Webb Previously Said That

he gave it to him, according to CNN yesterday. :wtf:

[-..__...]

4. Not exactly...

From the CNN story...

Webb, who has a concealed handgun permit in Virginia and an A rating from the National Rifle Association, said he handed his gun off to aides before getting on a plane to New Orleans on Friday. He said he did not give Thompson the weapon directly, and was unsure how it ended up with him.

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/

[Megahurtz]

7. Weird. Something doesn't seem right about this. n/t

[outofbounds]

12. Thanks uppity,

It seems I read that it was put into a brief case leading me to believe it was a pistol, in Ga. that would have to be registered. I haven't heard of registering ammo though. I was looking at a pistol about a week ago and the dealer said I would have to fill out papers for a background check and it would take a couple days. The previous post caught my attention and now this one is saying the senator didn't give the aid the gun, just seems odd.

[lynne]

29. The first reports stated that Webb gave the gun to his aide -

- for safekeeping before entering a Virginia airport. Webb didn't say it - the aide supposedly said it to a "congressional official".

"A congressional official briefed on the incident said Webb gave the gun to Thompson when the assistant drove him to an airport earlier in the day. Thompson, upon entering the Senate building, forgot he was carrying the weapon."

[Ediacara]

3. On "To the Point" right now

A reporter for "Roll Call" says Thompson didn't say much at the arraignment, and that at Webb's press conference, Webb didn't say that he gave him the gun, but thinks there may have been a mixup within the caravan of vehicles that Webb and Thompson were driving in.

ON EDIT: The reporter's name is John McArdle (sp?)

[Ediacara]

5. McArdle says he talked to the Sargent at Arms

And the SaA says it doesn't appear he was trying to smuggle a gun into the Capitol, but there's very little leeway in the law WRT intent.

[outofbounds]

6. Is it Webb's gun or not?

If it is what is a senator doing with an unregistered gun anyway? I guess its easier to deny ownership if its not registered. This doesn't look good for anyone.

[Richard Steele]

8. It's not unregistered. Webb owns and carries it legally.

Where are you getting this "illegal & unregistered" nonsense from?
No news report has claimed any such thing.

[jody]

9. Virginia does not require that a gun be registered. See summary of VA laws

at the following link, Virginia: Laws and Summaries.

[endarkenment]

10. where do you get 'unregistered gun' from?

The news reports on the incident said that the aide did not have a permit for that gun, not that the gun itself is unregistered. Specifically there was no DC permit for that gun. The gun could be registered to somebody in Virginia, Webb for example.

[uppityperson]

11. Topic from yesterday said "unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2782228

[DanWithAngel]

19. what will we have to register next?

saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal?

[Richard Steele]

20. That only meant "unregistered in the District of Columbia", nothing more. nm

[uppityperson]

24. Thank you, didn't get that. Thanks. nt

[ryanmuegge]

13. You can bet Fox will be all over this one..

It'll be part of a trifecta of all-day coverage with the latest missing kid and Anna Nicole.

[ShortnFiery]

15. But this is good news for Democrats.

It highlights those of us who choose to own and carry firearms.

It's a big tent so don't stereotype. ;)

[Paladin]

17. Is That Big Tent Large Enough.....

....to welcome flagrantly illegal activities?

I don't think so. But then, I'm not desperately trying to make the Democratic Party assume a hyper-Republican stance on firearms.....

[ShortnFiery]

22. It was an error, an oversight. No malice involved. Hell, Lou Dobbs wife

carried a gun in her carry ons (forgot to remove it) and didn't even get charged.

Face it, FAUX and Friends this morning were trying to make hay out of this but it made me laugh: Most of the callers into the show said, "Good for him! Why, he's got to protect his family and it's legal in Vir-GIN- I A!

What cracks me up is that the right wing is so damn desperate to bring Webb down, that they can't discern all that they are doing is scoring Webb points with the DIE HARD "gun toters." :rofl:

D.C. should not ban fire arms IMO. Don't come to Arizona because people wear their firearms like they did in the Wild west of the late 1800s, i.e., strapped to their hip. I love it! Why? People are always just a little nicer to each other when they know most everyone is "packing." IMO, that's a good thing. ;)

[struggle4progress]

26. So you think people should be able to pack at the Capitol?

Or you're saying Webb wants people to be able to pack at the Capitol?

Cuz it's my understanding the Capitol Police are pretty damn touchy about guns. 40 USC 5104 pretty much eliminates packing there, and they certainly don't let visitors bring in guns.

<edit:> gotta lurn to spel

[superconnected]

14. Actually, I believe him.

The guy walked into his office building with a loaded gun and claimed he "forgot" it was there.

Highly unlikely.

[ShortnFiery]

16. Oh, I believe that they were transferring all kinds of stuff from three vehicles

after a tripp with Webb and others.

I find it completely plausible that the guy picked up the brief case out of an SUV and thought, "Oh, Senator Webb will want his brief case." He probably toted it in without checking it's contents so as to not infringe on Webb's privacy. Understandable but turned out bad.

I believe that this was an honest mistake albeit Webb may have been much more proactive at informing his aide that he carries it in the briefcase when out of the D.C. Area. :shrug:

On edit, perhaps Webb briefed his staff days or week's ago and the guy ACTUALLY and UNDERSTANDABLY forgot that Webb kept it there when out of D.C.

[WorldResident]

18. Dude, you know the contents in your bags at all times?

This same thing hapened to coach Barry Switzer of the Dallas Cowboys at DFW a while back.

Unfortunately, this guy's life is ruined.

[MilesColtrane]

21. I don't know the exact contents of every bag when I'm traveling.

But, if I were carrying a gun, I guarantee that I'd know exactly where it was at all times.

[ShortnFiery]

23. It was Webb's briefcase being carried by "an aide" who forgot to check it's contents. Period.

The aides are briefed about Webb's habits and the guy simply forgot. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, a big mistake, but an honest one NOT of malice.

Gee! Let's move onto important issues, not an oversight of an aide?

[rocktivity]

27. Surely Webb has SOME idea which "aide" of who he gave the gun to

and surely Mr. Thompson has some idea of who gave it to him.

You've done well so far, Webb--don't start going Republican on us!

:headbang:
rocknation