On and Off Capitol Hill, Gun Rules Differ
IT MAY SEEM LIKE a no-brainer: Carrying weapons around lawmakers on Capitol Hill is a right reserved only for those providing security. That's why it seems a bit odd that an aide for Virginia Sen. Jim Webb would try to bring a bag carrying the freshman lawmaker's loaded gun through a security checkpoint at the Russell Senate Office Building yesterday. Authorities believe that the situation was nothing but an unfortunate mistake — a sentiment echoed by Webb's office. The aide was jailed for possessing an unregistered firearm and ammunition and carrying the weapon without a permit. District laws prohibit handguns in the city.
But from this morning's Roll Call, we learn that gun laws on the Capitol campus are not so straightforward. Although members of Congress are not allowed to bring weapons into the House and Senate chambers or their adjoining galleries, lobbies and cloak rooms, Capitol Police Board regulations from the late 1960s allow lawmakers and their aides to "maintain firearms within the confines of [their] office."
As Roll Call's John McArdle points out, while "[m]embers and aides would technically have to violate District law just to transport a handgun to the Hill, Capitol Police are not under any obligation to report the offense to D.C. authorities."
» "Webb Aide Tried to Take Gun Into Senate Building, Capitol Police Say" [WaPo]
» "Webb Aide Arrested Carrying Boss's Handgun" [Roll Call, subscription req'd]
Photo by Michael Grass/Express
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Even though lawmakers infringe the civil rights of common people, that's no justification for infringing lawmakers' right to keep and bear arms. Two wrongs don't make a right.
By Frank Silbermann , Posted March 27, 2007 9:34 AMIf lawmakers were subject to the same laws as private citizens, we might have more reasonable laws. I recall hearing that they are also exempt from federal laws about discrimination in hiring. What other laws are they exempt from?
By Jim Green , Posted March 27, 2007 10:06 AMWe elect these people to run the country and they can't even figure out where their own gun is?This isn't any mistake.I have no problem with people owning guns but I have a big problem with peolple that own guns and refuse to obey the law.
By ron , Posted March 27, 2007 10:09 AMIt may be even more interesting: I believe federal law permits the transportation of a gun from one jurisdiction where it is legal to possess it (as in, say, Virginia) to another where it is legal to possess it (as in, say, a legislator's own office).
But the gun (again I believe) would have to be inaccessible, ie, locked away, not readily available, unloaded, etc., during transport.
By John C Abell , Posted March 27, 2007 10:44 AM