Washington state senator Jeff Wilson was arrested on Sunday at the Hong Kong International Airport for carrying a gun. The Republican (naturally) was charged with possession of a firearm without a license, which could put in him prison for up to 14 years, according to CNN.
But Wilson says he "expects the situation to be resolved shortly" because it was "an honest mistake" — the scared gentleman is so attached to his pistol, which never leaves his person, he plumb forgot it was inside his carry-on briefcase. (And somehow the TSA overlooked it.)
His next court date in Hong Kong is Oct. 30.
From CNN:
Wilson appeared in the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court on Monday and was granted bail, according to public broadcaster RTHK.
The Republican state senator, whose full name is Stephen J. Wilson, said he did not realize he had packed his pistol in his briefcase while he and his wife were traveling for a five-week vacation to Southeast Asia, according to a statement posted on his website.
Wilson said he "discovered the weapon mid-flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong."
He "did not realize his pistol was in his briefcase when he passed through airport security in Portland, and baggage screeners failed to note it," the statement added.
Wilson said in the statement that when the plane landed in Hong Kong, he "immediately went to customs officials and called their attention to the issue."
And according to Wikipedia, for what it's worth, police later had to intervene when a fired-up Wilson got into a verbal altercation with reporters after his first court hearing, demanding they delete any photos showing him at the courthouse. What better way to represent red America than a bully with a gun.
