Gun found in congressman's carry-on bag

[Bombardier]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S. congressman was briefly detained at a Kentucky airport Tuesday after authorities found a loaded gun in his bag at a screening checkpoint, authorities said.

Rep. John Hostettler, R-Indiana, "completely forgot" he had the gun in his bag as he prepared to take a US Airways flight to Washington for the first day of work after a two-week recess, a spokesman for the congressman said.

A Homeland Security Department official said Hostettler had a loaded 9 mm Glock pistol in his bag at Louisville International Airport .

The congressman said he did not know the gun was in his bag and apologized, the official said.

Hostettler's spokesman, Michael Jahr, said Transportation Security Administration officials detained but did not arrest the congressman.

"He was pulled aside and questioned," and then was allowed to take a different flight, Jahr said, adding that he didn't know if the gun was confiscated.

The gun is registered to the congressman, but Jahr said Hostettler never brings it to Washington, where handguns are illegal. He does not have a house or apartment in the district, but sleeps in his office.

Hostettler is an avid sportsman and "hunts lots of things and does target practice," Jahr said. "He's been doing a lot to events in the district and may have packed the wrong bag."

Hostettler is seeking his sixth term representing his southwestern Indiana district.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/20/....gun/index.html

[Kooperman]

That happened yesterday here in Louisville, where I live. He's a Republican, so I'm surprised he wasn't carrying one of those assault weapons Dick Cheney so feverishly works to have available ;)

. In all seriousness, this is something that would get most of us thrown into the slammer...in a heavily Republican state like Kentucky, with Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning working behind the scenes, look for the lightest possible rebuke for this dunderhead.

http://mcconnell.senate.gov/biography.htm

[Redneck4sure]

He made an excellent choice for target practicing and other sport type shooting. I'd vote for him. If it had been a .45 cal Glock, I would campaign for him.

[DudeAsInCool]

He made an excellent choice for target practicing and other sport type shooting. I'd vote for him. If it had been a .45 cal Glock, I would campaign for him.

lol

[Wolfie]

Now if it was a regular person that "forgot about it", they would have been wrestled to the ground, taken in custody by homeland security and locked up without a lawyer for a week. A month later they would have said, "sorry we made a mistake and dropped him off at bus stop."

[Redneck4sure]

I disagree Wolfie. He would have been fined a fortune, lost his job and family, spent 5 yrs in prison at least, 10 more on parole if he was lucky. Then we would be told about how great the system works.