I love hypocrites, don’t you?

<< Anti-gun Lawmaker says he didn’t mean to take gun to airport
By GILBERTO SALINAS
The Brownsville Herald 03/29/2000

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/sections/archive/topstoryjmp.shtml

HARLINGEN – The FBI is investigating state Rep. Rene Oliveira for trying to
board a flight with a loaded .38-caliber gun at Valley International Airport
in Harlingen, according to airport authorities.

FBI and airport police briefly detained and questioned Oliveira on Thursday
afternoon. No charges have been filed against the state representative from
Brownsville, according to a Federal Aviation Administration report.

“We consider all security breaches very serious. It will be investigated by
FAA security,” said Roland Herwig, spokesman for the FAA’s Southwest Region
in Fort Worth.

“I was in a hurry,” Oliveira said Tuesday. “I was in a rush to make my
flight, I mistakenly thought I removed the pistol from the bag in my car.
… I regretfully had not.”

Oliveira walked through the second-floor security checkpoint at 1:25 p.m.
for a 1:30 p.m. flight when one of the guards noticed through the security
screener the gun inside Oliveira’s black tote bag, the report stated.

After admitting to ownership of the gun, Oliveira told airport officials he
forgot he had placed the gun in his bag, the report stated.

The .38-Special, for which Oliveira did not have a permit, had five bullets
in its cylinder, officials said.

Oliveira declined to comment on the details of his detention, but emphasized
there were no charges pressed against him.

“If I had done something wrong, they obviously would have arrested me,”
Oliveira said. “I cannot comment any further per instruction from law
enforcement authorities (who’re trying) to protect me and my family.”

Oliveira said he has been carrying a handgun due to death threats he has
received recently, the report stated.

“Because of specific threats made against me, I have had to take this
extraordinary action. I do not condone nor normally carry a firearm,
however, I am forced to react to these specific threats,” Oliveira said.

The state representative and lawyer has been staying in McAllen, where he is
attending a trial. On March 14, Oliveira took the gun from his car and
placed it in the tote bag because he was going to cross into Mexico, he
said.

On Thursday, he drove to the Harlingen airport to catch an afternoon flight
to Austin but said he forgot about the handgun in his bag.

“He’s on a super hectic trial schedule and he’s got all of the charges (in
Austin) as well,” said Anthony Gray, Oliveira’s assistant in the state
capital. “He didn’t realize it was there. It was a small innocent deal.”

FBI agent Andy Mu?iz told Oliveira he may be subject to a $10,000 fine and
“at this time there would be no charges filed against him.”

Oliveira “did not try to circumvent the (security) procedures at the
airport. There is nothing negative of this unfortunate event,” said the
airport’s director, Jon E. Mathiasen.

Oliveira was not arrested because airport police found no criminal intent,
Mathiasen said.

“Was he treated differently than anyone else, absolutely not,” Mathiasen
said. “It can happen to you and me, but I’m sure he will not forget again.”

Herwig said the offense can lead to arrest. “It’s not that common, but it
happens,” Herwig said.

Oliveira was released from the custody of authorities an hour later. Airport
police have confiscated the gun and ammunition until the FBI clears its
release, officials said.

Lt. Espiridion Leal of the Harlingen Police Department said his agency
didn’t get involved in the incident. The police department only gets
involved in cases where the suspect is charged with weapons possession, Leal
said.

“Unless we are called, that’s their investigation,” said Danny Castillo,
Harlingen’s interim police chief.

Mathiasen said security officers at Valley International Airport confiscate
between six and a dozen weapons each month, ranging from handguns to hunting
rifles and knives. >>