“Security has been a concern for Maine lawmakers since January, when U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot during a public event in Tucson,” necn.com reports. “And last weekend a member of the Maine Legislature was arrested in Waterville on charges of criminal threatening and carrying a concealed weapon. [Republican, Wal-Mart pharmacist and] House Speaker Robert Nutting [above] says about $546,000 would be added to the Capitol Police budget to pay personnel to screen people going into the State House. The Kennebec Journal says the program is designed to start in January and after that it will be full time.”
One commenter on the story about the legislator with the gun said that they should search lawmakers when they LEFT the State House in order to protect the public.
Here are the details about that incident: http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/05/21/politics/garland-legislator-arrested-in-waterville-on-charge-of-criminal-threatening/
If they spent half that amount to screen for brains, the state house would be safe — and empty.
Where’s the citizen-legislature and the walk-right-in policy of traditional America?
In some states, like Virginia, guns are allowed everywhere in the state house, even openly without a permit.