Tea-party leader shocked by arrest on gun charges

Tea-party leader shocked by arrest on gun charges:

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WEAPONS OF CHOICE
Tea-party leader shocked by arrest on gun charges
Faces up to 15 years in prison, despite concealed-carry permit
Posted: December 15, 2011
6:49 pm Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2011 WND



Mark Meckler, co-founder and chairman of Tea Party Patriots
Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, one of the largest and most prominent tea-party groups, was arrested today at New York City's LaGuardia Airport on a gun charge – despite showing police his pistol permit and explaining that the weapon is registered in California.

"Mark Meckler, an attorney and national coordinator for Tea Party Patriots, who holds a concealed-carry permit from the state of California, today was charged with a firearms violation at LaGuardia Airport in New York City," said Brian Stapleton, Meckler's lawyer, in a statement.

"While in temporary transit through the state of New York in possession of an unloaded, lawful firearm that was locked in a (Transportation Security Administration)-approved safe, he legally declared his possession of the firearm in his checked baggage at the ticket counter as required by law and in a manner approved by TSA and the airline, yet was arrested by port authority for said possession," Stapleton said.

According to the Associated Press, Queens prosecutors say Meckler was taken into custody at about 5:20 a.m. today after he attempted to check in for his Delta flight and presented a box containing a Glock 27 pistol and 19 cartridges of ammunition. Meckler told authorities he carries the gun for protection because he receives threats.

(Story continues below)






Meckler, 49, declared the weapon and is licensed to carry the gun in his home state of California.

However, the report notes that his California license is not valid in New York, which has strict rules on concealed weapon carry.

Meckler faces up to 15 years in prison on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class C felony. He was released following arraignment, and his court date was set for Jan. 12.

"Before leaving home, passengers should acquaint themselves with the weapon laws of the jurisdiction that they are visiting and comply with any and all legal requirements if they choose to travel with a weapon," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, according to the New York Daily News. "Otherwise, they may find themselves being arrested and charged with a felony – as is what occurred in this case."

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121 comments


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Judy Pierson · Top Commenter · Lipscomb University
Federal law trumps; Meckler was in transit and not stopping for business or pleasure at La Guardia, therefore he had the right to bring the firearm through the airport This is obviously an attempt to embarrass the Tea Party. I'm sure the leftstream news media will make it front page news, but once he's exonerated, it might make it on page 32J of the fashion section.
Reply · 74 · Like · Follow Post · 17 hours ago

Christopher Blake · Top Commenter · Shift Supervisor at T&W Security
Exactly.
Reply · 13 · Like · 15 hours ago

Jeff Hill · Top Commenter
I wonder how the New York Port Authority officers would feel if say 5 or 6 thousand ARMED citizens waltzed into the Airport and arrested them for violating Meckler's civil rights?
Reply · 55 · Like · 15 hours ago

Thomas Muir · Top Commenter · San Rafael, California
Jeff Hill Can we get an occupy movement there. NYC is friendly to the OWS movement then they should love Occupy LaGuradia. After all it has heat and bathrooms
Reply · 24 · Like · 13 hours ago
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James VanLanduyt Jr · Top Commenter · University of Michigan–Flint
Another reason to avoid New York like the plague. Been there once. I hope I never have to go back again.
Reply · 46 · Like · Follow Post · 17 hours ago

Don Cameron · Top Commenter
We feel exactly the same way about you.
Reply · 1 · Like · 7 hours ago

Robert A Porrazzo · Top Commenter · Cos Cob, Connecticut
James I live an hour away from NYC...And despite my being a New York Yankees fan...I WANT OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AND THEIR FAKE LEFT-RIGHT PARADIGM LOVING FOOLS CALLED POLITICIANS! AND DON I SEE YOU WANT ANOTHER WAR...BRING IT EMPIRE BUILDER!
Reply · 13 · Like · 6 hours ago

Don Cameron · Top Commenter
Robert A Porrazzo - must you shout nonsense? It doesn't make it any less silly. You make absolutely no sense.
Reply · 2 · Like · 6 hours ago
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George Lanning · Top Commenter · Niles McKinley
Only in New York where you get arrested even with a concealed permit (gun in suitcase) and Occupiers with guns go scot free. I'm confident this isn't political. Yea, right!
Reply · 38 · Like · Follow Post · 17 hours ago

Carole Kasprzycki · Top Commenter · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
His concealed-carry permit was for the state of California, not New York.
Reply · 2 · Like · 16 hours ago

Michael Carl · Top Commenter · Journalist at World Net Daily and Talk Radio News Service
Carole Kasprzycki The fact that he declared the firearm and did so at a TSA checkpoint at the airport is evidence that there was and is no criminal intent. Further, the 2nd Amendment trumps NYC's paranoid gun laws that, and this case is a prime example, hinder conscientious citizens trying to be above board. NYC is carrying out a vendetta against a Tea Party member.
Reply · 57 · Like · 15 hours ago

Mark Stevens · Top Commenter · Janitor at Food Services of America
Carole Kasprzycki Most states honor ccw permits issued by other states. The fact that his permit is from California should have been immaterial. This was political.
Reply · 30 · Like · 15 hours ago
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Doug Henninger · Top Commenter · Richmond, Virginia
It might not be a deliberate TSA effort to tarnish the Tea Party, but if the man was following the law and TSA is at fault, the NRA will be all over it. If he broke the law and is sentenced, it could go hard for him in NYC with the certain pressure by the administration in Washington. Obama is fighting for his miserable political life and you already have a good picture of what AG Holder is about.
Reply · 29 · Like · Follow Post · 17 hours ago

Sylvia Carter · Top Commenter
Do you believe the TSA workers even had a clue who this man was before hey arrested him?
Reply · 1 · Like · 16 hours ago

Alan Cross · Top Commenter
Sylvia Carter --- they probably did and they were probably told what to do ...
Reply · 15 · Like · 15 hours ago

Galen Sanford · Top Commenter · Salem, Oregon
Alan Cross: If you believe that . . . ah never mind, that jokes way too common. Still, that's a lot of paranoia right there.
Reply · 2 · Like · 10 hours ago
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Joel Troumbly · Top Commenter · Auxiliary Operator at Minnesota Pwr
Bunch of crap! Where are his 2nd Amendment rights?
Reply · 27 · Like · Follow Post · 17 hours ago

Wayne Everingham · Top Commenter · Studied at HVCC
This is NY State & remember, Schumer, Bloomberg's & Senator McCarthy's home court. They are all rabid anti-gun people. If he is just traveling through without stopping, he is legal, but if he is staying overnight in NY City, he is breaking a city law. NY State doesn't have a reciprocal agreement with anyone. Schumer, Gillibrand & McCarthy will vote against the pending Nationwide CCW Bill. NY City has a separate permit system than the rest of NY State. My NY State Permit is not legal in NY City & a NY City permit is not legal in the rest of NY State. This state sucks big time.
Reply · 22 · Like · 16 hours ago

Jeff Hill · Top Commenter
Rights? What are these "rights" of which you speak? Are you insane like that Ron Paul guy?
Reply · 5 · Like · 15 hours ago

Lato Sensu
Jeff Hill - right to remain silent.
Reply · 5 · Like · 14 hours ago
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Lamar Carnes · Top Commenter
These idiots need to be put in jail themselves. This is communist dictatorship and actually stupid!!
Reply · 14 · Like · Follow Post · 16 hours ago

John Poland · Top Commenter · Neshaminy High School
New York wants to make Money off of All Law Abiding Citizens who want to Protect Themselves from the Lawless...Getting a Permit and registering Every gun with fees out the wazoo for every step..We aren't Citizens here we are Cash Cows..Just a Revenue stream to Schumer & Friends
Reply · 13 · Like · Follow Post · 16 hours ago

Vicky Fisher · Subscribe · Top Commenter · Lassen Community College
I've been warning you folks here America is finished. This country is a socialist PC STATE and you spend your time worrying about Gays like me I and some other Gays want Freedom to and to own Guns also this is outrageous.
I laugh when people tell me this is a free country no its not how can it be when the second amendment is not a true real reality in this great country in certain areas.
Reply · 11 · Like · Follow Post · 16 hours ago

Wayne Everingham · Top Commenter · Studied at HVCC
Vicky, being Gay has nothing to do with your right to have a gun. As long as you live in a State that is a Shall issue State & have no criminal record, there is no reason for them to not issue one to you. Get one, you may need it sooner than you think. The bad guys aren't knocking on your door yet, but they will be & you need to protect yourself. More females are becoming armed & proficient with firearms every day. Join them, as the only person required to protect you is yourself
Reply · 7 · Like · 15 hours ago

Vicky Fisher · Subscribe · Top Commenter · Lassen Community College
Wayne Everingham Wayne alot of folks think that liberals are anti-gun just saying there are Gay groups like Pink Pistols that support gun rights just want to let in known out there to counter some of the occasional untruths you get from WND on Gays here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Pistols
Reply · 2 · Like · 13 hours ago

Earl Hood · Top Commenter · Adams City High
Wayne Everingham For starters, just look at all the laws on the books that are in direct conflict with our bill of rights. They are too numerous to list, but last I checked there are over 250 gun control laws. What part of "The right of the people to bear arms shall NOT be infringed" don't they understand. Criminal record should have nothing to do with it, its just another way they can limit the Guns. I say adhere to the CONSTITUTION!!
Reply · 7 · Like · 12 hours ago
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Max Kennedy · Top Commenter · Kentucky
Yeah, there is a couple of leaders the government is going after today, including the sherieff in Arizonia, and the FEC after the right to work guy.

This is why you MUST vote for Dr. Ron Paul. HE IS THE ONLY ONE ADDRESSING THE POLICE STATE. The other candidates have all been for it every step of the way. Gingrich was even voting for a national police force in 1980s.
Reply · 9 · Like · Follow Post · 16 hours ago

Max Kennedy · Top Commenter · Kentucky
It isn't foreign policy that they've been afraid of Ron Paul talking about. It's the police state. Assassination lists, arrests without trials, indefinite detention, drones in America, warrantless wiretaps.

It's not surprising this is happening. Ron Paul has been saying it the whole time, warning America like he warned people about the banking collapse. "Foreign Policy" has been a way to hide the police state issues with the neoconservatives. Listen to them closely, what they are trying hide or use as an excuse for the police state,and what Ron Paul is saying.
Reply · 9 · Like · 16 hours ago

Wayne Everingham · Top Commenter · Studied at HVCC
Max Kennedy , if that is the case, they will kill R. Paul just like they did Kennedy. That was one thing I worried about if Cain won the Republican Nomination. The criminal element is the Administration that is now running the country. We better hope most of our Law Enforcement People are Patriots. or we are in big trouble.
Reply · 9 · Like · 15 hours ago

Max Kennedy · Top Commenter · Kentucky
Wayne Everingham,
I'm not worried about that. God loves justice and mercy, and protects his people. Also, Americans won't put up with something like that.
Reply · Like · 15 hours ago
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Rob Jackson · Top Commenter
The supreme court just reafirmed the rights of the people to bear arms. This could be a good test case to strike down unconstitutional gun laws. Plus, Federal law is supposed to be above state law. Well aren't airports under federal jurisdiction? So state law shouldn't apply. I could be wrong.
Reply · 9 · Like · Follow Post · 16 hours ago

Nick Jesch · Top Commenter
the Federal Firearms Owners Protection Act provides that interstate travellers are not bound by local laws as long as they are travelling through, and the possession is lawful in the places of origin and destination. It was enacted to protect citizens in precisely this sort of situation... yet New York, New Jersey, and Chicago all regularly arrest travellers like this one despite that law.
Reply · Like · 8 minutes ago