AP: Concealed weapons popular with Indiana legislators

1 in 6 packing heat, some during sessions

The Associated Press

One in six Indiana lawmakers has a permit to carry a firearm, and some even pack their guns when they walk onto the floor of the Indiana House and Senate, The Journal Gazette reported Sunday.

These pistol-packing politicians have no problem with the availability of weapons in the Statehouse, and some even welcome the guns given the lax security at the state Capitol.

"If someone opens fire from the balcony, I want all the guns I can shooting back," said Rep. Matthew Whetstone, whose small .22-caliber pistol weighs no more than a set of keys in his pants pocket.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Whetstone, R-Brownsburg, is one of 25 House and Senate members with valid permits to carry firearms, according to a review of the Indiana State Police firearms database by the Fort Wayne newspaper.

That is about 17 percent of the General Assembly, compared with about 7 percent of the eligible state population with permits.

Few lawmakers seem concerned that the firearms could be turned on each other despite history that shows political rivals around the nation - most recently in the New York City Hall shooting - have resorted to violence.

Six lawmakers acknowledged bringing their guns onto the House or Senate floor all the time or at least occasionally. Thirteen others said they did not, and several more did not return repeated phone calls or declined to discuss the specifics of when they carry a gun.

Of the 25 with permits, 10 are in the Senate and 15 are in the House. Eight are Democrats; 17 are Republicans. Of the six Republicans who say they bring guns to work at the Statehouse, three are in the Senate and three are in the House.

OFCC PAC Commentary
Bravo for these legislators for not only recognizing, but exercising their right to self-defense. But an even larger cudos for publicizing that fact. This is exactly the kind of deterrence that concealed carry laws were intended for.

Meanwhile, in the state of Ohio, a liberal governor and a handful of Republican Senators are chosing to put politics ahead of doing the right thing.

And they wonder why the population in nearly every border county in Ohio is shrinking. For many, it's only a short move to reside in a state (take your pick - every state around Ohio is "shall-issue") where the civil right to self-defense is not viewed as a crime, and where law-abiding citizens are not punished more severely than many career criminals.

Click here to read the entire story in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Related Story:
Columbus Dispatch: Violence raises more questions about area’s image, activism

"When Indianapolis was competing to host the Future Farmers of America’s national convention two years ago, the city’s marketing team highlighted Columbus’ "high crime rate" as one reason that young conventioneers might want to steer clear of Ohio’s capital..."

The stinging affront outraged their Columbus counterparts, who, eager to land the sweet deal, scrambled for crime and population data to disprove the claim.

In the end, Indianapolis won the prize — a seven-year commitment for a convention that would draw 50,000 delegates and $30 million a year.

The experience left a bitter taste with city and convention bureau folks here."