Thread: Tea-party leader shocked by arrest on gun charges

December 16, 2011
Tea Party Patriots leader arrested at airport for checking in lawful pistol

Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler was arrested at an airport in New York City on Thursday after he attempted to check-in a locked gun box holding his Glock 27 pistol and ammunition to a Delta Airlines ticket agent.

According to authorities and his attorney, Meckler, 49, holds a concealed-carry permit for the Glock 27 pistol at home in California, but not in New York where he was attempting to board the plane. As a result, he was arrested and charged with a felony.

“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,” Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said.

“Otherwise, they may find themselves being arrested and charged with a felony – as is what occurred in this case,” he said.

Attorney Brian Stapleton of Goldberg, Segalla, LLP said Meckler was only attempting to follow TSA rules for checking in a firearm when he was arrested.

“While in temporary transit through the state of New York in possession of an unloaded, lawful firearm that was locked in a TSA-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.

Meckler was arraigned Thursday in Queens Criminal Court and charged with second degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony.

Meckler was released Thursday. He has a court date set for Jan. 12, 2012.

Brown said Meckler, a well-known person in the tea party movement, told authorities he keeps the pistol with him because he gets threats.

Tea Party | Concealed Carry | Felony | The Daily Caller

Misleading title. The gun was not lawful in the state he was traveling. Therefore he was illegally in possession of a firearm. I do not agree with the laws in question, but they must still be obeyed.

Originally Posted by PlayboyPenguin

Misleading title. The gun was not lawful in the state he was traveling. Therefore he was illegally in possession of a firearm. I do not agree with the laws in question, but they must still be obeyed.

I agree the guy was ignorant on New York's gun laws and he was in NYC for 5 days, the lesson is never change flights in NYC if legally flying with a firearm....................

Originally Posted by Chee-to

I agree the guy was ignorant on New York's gun laws and he was in NYC for 5 days, the lesson is never change flights in NYC if legally flying with a firearm....................

It can't be a case of changing flights. If that was the case the gun would have been checked through and have not been in his possession. I have flown through NY with a firearm before. You just can't be in possession of the firearm while in the state. He and his lawyer/spokesman are not accurately representing what happened.

That story does not give enough detail. There is a law for "safe passage" Firearm Owners Protection Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia though places like that. So if he was coming from a state where the gun was legal, to the NY airport to head home it would be legal. Now if his business and stay was in NY then it would have been illegal.

Yet another reason to add to the very long (and growing) list of reasons to never go to, much less live in, that hellhole - pitiful excuse of a state/city.

Something missing here. I have flown through NYC several times without incident and I take a weapon with me everywhere I go. It is simple, check the laws and proceedures ahead of time and follow them.

Originally Posted by Blue Devil PA

Yet another reason to add to the very long (and growing) list of reasons to never go to, much less live in, that hellhole - pitiful excuse of a state/city.

This.

/thread.

Knd of ironic to have the head of the TP get busted like this.

I guess I don't understand why it was legal to get it there but once he tried to return home it was no longer legal?

"The Tea Party" doesn't have a "leader".

Originally Posted by Kevatc

Knd of ironic to have the head of the TP get busted like this.

I guess I don't understand why it was legal to get it there but once he tried to return home it was no longer legal?

they were waiting for him..

I'm sorry, but if a state as farked up as California is willing to give out a CC permit and allow him to carry, then a state as farked up as New York should consider where he got it, whom he got it from, and just throw in the towel on this one

As much as I disagree with the guy, and I do have to acknowledge that yes he broke a NYC law - it's a law that shouldn't be.

Yet another reason why HR 822 needs to become law.

Originally Posted by rufus

"The Tea Party" doesn't have a "leader".

What do you call the Koch brothers?

If I knew them, I'd call them Dave and Charlie.

Originally Posted by rufus

If I knew them, I'd call them Dave and Charlie.

And let me guess, your blind partisanship would allow you to ignore the fact they are the money behind this corrupted movement. You would ignore the fact that this is a trojan horse champaign paid for by billionaires for the benefit of billionaires.

Originally Posted by PlayboyPenguin

And let me guess, your blind partisanship would allow you to ignore the fact they are the money behind this corrupted movement. You would ignore the fact that this is a trojan horse champaign paid for by billionaires for the benefit of billionaires.

No more joking rufus! Serious Troll is serious!

Why does the left absolutely HATE diversity(of opinion)?

Yeah, he's also confused.

Where's the tolerance? Where's the compassion?