Congressman Stopped at Kentucky Airport with Gun

[No2W2004]

Whoops! Oh, those wacky Republicans!!!

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Indiana Republican Rep. John Hostettler, an avid hunter, mistakenly brought a 9-mm handgun to the Louisville, Kentucky, airport on Tuesday and was briefly detained, his press secretary said.

"It was a careless mistake, the congressman acknowledged that," and he praised Transportation Security Administration screeners for detecting the weapon, press secretary Michael Jahr said.

A Transportation Security Authority spokesman did not disclose the name of the passenger, but said the gun was intercepted from a carry-on bag and the police and FBI (news - web sites) were notified. An FBI spokesman would not confirm whether an investigation was under way.

Jahr said Hostettler, a five-term U.S. congressman representing southwest Indiana and an outspoken defender of gun owners' rights, was in a hurry to catch his flight back to Washington and grabbed the wrong bag from his car. He was not aware the gun was inside but does have a permit for it.

You know, if it was me that made this "careless mistake", I'd probably still be "detained", recieving my 7th body cavity search to make sure I didn't have any explosives up my butt.

By the way, what do you hunt with a 9mm handgun?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&e=9&u=/nm/security_congressman_dc

EDIT for link

[JohnKleeb]

1. interesting

oh and I would like everyone to know that Rep Hostettler was one of only 6 republicans to vote against IWR. I found that interesting. I dont know what you hunt with a 9mm either.

[pinniped]

2. Party of "personal responsibility" should be calling for his head.

n/t

[FeebMaster]

3. Other than saying he's an avid hunter

where does the article mention anything about hunting? Or hunting with a 9mm?

[No2W2004]

4. My point is

why is hunting even mentioned in this story, as it has nothing to do with hunting. I think sticking "avid hunter" in there is trying to justify why he had the gun in the first place.

I'm not trying to make an anti-gun or pro-gun point at all, The real point is that a member of congress takes a hand gun through a check point, and is basically given a free pass. If it were you or I that did that, it's straight to jail and body cavity searches all 'round.

[FeebMaster]

6. I don't know why it's mentioned either.

Maybe whoever wrote the story is just in the habit of writing that every politician, short of the ones who want to ban all guns, are avid hunters. They seem to like to be described that way. I mean obviously if you're an avid hunter you can't possibly be a gun grabber.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Congressman should face the same penalties the rest of us would face if we did the same thing. I don't expect it will happen though.

[kayell]

5. 9 mm a hunting weapon? What in the heck was he hunting?

There is no point for the "avid hunter" bit, since he didn't try to get on the plane with a rifle, shotgun or bow.