Washington State Senator Jeff Wilson accidentally brought a gun through TSA in Portland. Screeners there didn’t notice it in his carry on, natch.
When he took out his bag inflight, he noticed he had a gun with him (“when he reached for some gum in his bag”).
On arrival in Hong Kong he declared the gun to customs. He was arrested and then released on HK$20,000 (US$2,555) bail and had his passport taken. His next hearing is scheduled for October 30th.
His office defends the action noting that the gun “is properly licensed and registered in the United States” (as though U.S. law is all that matters, he also isn’t licensed to bring an undeclared firearm past an airport security checkpoint) and that taxpayers aren’t funding his five week trip to Asia.
According to Washington State Senate Republican leader John Braun,
We are learning about the incident with Sen. Wilson at the same time as the press and public here in America. As I understand it, this was an honest mistake. I do not have any additional information to share at this point, but we are watching the situation closely. That said, I hope that this can be resolved in a timely manner.
I believe that the second amendment clearly supports an individual right to gun ownership, and that Heller was rightly decided. I also believe that gun ownership entails a responsibility to know where your guns are (in most cases, locked in a gun safe when not being used). However,
- U.S. gun rights do not extend to a region of China
- I’m more concerned about TSA failing to detect guns that go through scanners at airport checkpoints than people accidentally bringing guns through those checkpoints
- Yet for all of the reports of a record number of guns at checkpoints (and many more undetected)it’s worth pointing out that none wind up being used.
Wilson represents Longview, which is about two hours south of Seattle and about an hour’s drive from the Portland airport.
(HT: Alan)
Carried in his briefcase?????
Anyone who is that “unaware” of the location of their firearm(s) should not have a ‘Carry & Conceal’ permit — much less an actual weapon.
Can you imagine this imp if he ever found himself in a situation where a gun was needed? I can!
I picture a ‘Barney Fife moment’ — frantically reaching in all his pockets for the pistol; maybe he even carries a bullet in his pocket??
Kevin L,
Maybe a future article on this entertaining blog will be this:
TSA suddenly ups its game to find a lot more massage guns and bullet-styled “adult toys” at the screening checkpoints, after being called out on missing real gun.
I think I was one of the gullible ones who didn’t oppose the “federalize to professionalize” the way I should have. And so now we get all this national ridiculousness from a TSA that misses obvious guns but has too much time to hassle passengers for identification to fly.
I am pretty sure Señor Leff was opposed to the “federalize to professionalize” movement, but I always welcome efforts at correction when I am wrong and when I may not be.
Notice how it is ALWAYS the Republicans doing this awful stuff? When will this country get it?
And in another article, he blames TSA for not catching it before he got on the plane. Sure, TSA dropped the ball, but they didn’t pack his bag, The party of personal accountability doesn’t much like to be held personally accountable.
Awful stuff is done by people of various political persuasions, and there is certainly no partisan monopoly on questionable behavior, but there is irony in wanting to pose as the “tough on crime” type while violating laws and behaving irresponsibly in such a way that his gun is likely more a threat to himself, his family, friends,, neighbors, colleagues and community than to unfamiliar violent criminals or other armed strangers.
I suppose this is why we demonize China for not being more like us and letting guns onto airplanes…
Disgusting behavior by Hong Kong, I mean, China. Remind me never to try Cathay Pacific which flies through Hong Kong, or if I find a mistake in my luggage, to not go through security; but, to turn around and fly back. Your airline ticket entitles you to an immediate return flight. I know of other disgusting stories by Chinese Airport security. Best wishes and good luck to this imprisoned airline passenger.
Just imagine being on an airplane where a passenger had a firearm. Scary.
I only wish the US arrested these idiots. If TSA was empowered to arrest instead of slapping on the wrist the 98% of people with arms it catches, we would all be safer even if 2.% is not caught.
Just to get some data out, the TSA is catching weapons at a relate of 6,600 per year. Not a typo: almost seven THOUSAND. None of which went to jail. Truly scary.
I spent 8 years in the military, have had a concealed license most of my adult life and never, ever, have forgotten where my guns are, how many rounds are in them, whether they are racked or not! I always have one in my center console in my car and one in the nightstand. I don’t understand this.
A total fool. Can YOU see yourself absent-mindedly packing a pistol in your luggage for an airplane trip to China? Nah, me neither.
He wins this month’s award for dumbshit traveler. I, too, wish TSA would treat these incidents with the appropriate seriousness. We are all endangered by these people who can’t be bothered trusted to know where their lethal weapon is. A stiff fine is the LEAST this guy should face upon his return. Where the hell is the Portland D.A.?
As bad as that female basketball player bringing stuff with her. Need to respect these countries. They’re not so absent minded as the u.s.
Nothing good ever comes from telling the truth in these unique situations. He doesn’t sounds like the sharpest tool in the shed. Should have just dismantled and discarded the gun in the men’s room and gotten the hell out of dodge…
Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Love it when these 2nd amendment people think that their rights surpass everyone else’s rights. Just because you have a permit to carry in Texas does not mean you can carry a gun into Canada when traveling from Texas to Alaska.
On his next trip he could try taking some cannabis into Singapore.
It’s his own damn fault for declaring it. They scan your bags at customs but not you. Never once have they blinked an eye for a metal detector going off, especially with phone in hand.
Could have tossed the thing in the harbor and nobody would have ever known.
It’s actually pretty shameful that we elect so many people who are not even remotely intelligent or wise. If the people of Washington State are lucky the PRC will plea bargain him down to deportation and resignation from his elected office.
Will he lose Global Entry and PreCheck status for his next flights after he gets sent back to the US? He should, if they want to be consistent.
I am against haraSSSSment flagging of Americans, but he seems like someone who would have been a fan of that for others.