GOP lawmaker handcuffed for lurking with gun near abortion clinic

www.rawstory.com...

A Minnesota Republican lawmaker who was handcuffed and questioned by police after loitering with a gun near a Planned Parenthood clinic has been stripped of his leadership roles in the Minnesota House.

Security cameras recorded State House Rep. Tom Hackbarth as he was stopped by police last week after a security guard at a Planned Parenthood location in St. Paul called to report a man loitering with a handgun visible at his side.

After reading this story, I am more convinced than ever that American culture and politics in particular is slipping into a surreal, schizophrenic, paranoid world of darkness and violence.

Hackbarth's explanation of his actions just add fuel to the fire.

Hackbarth, who was not arrested and has a concealed-carry permit, says it was all a big misunderstanding. He told police he was looking for a woman he met online.

LOL, right...

He was meeting a woman with a gun at an abortion clinic... Who the hell does he think he'll buy with that bogus story?

It sounds like the guy did not do anything illegal unless the gun was not registered and he did not have a permit. This is a pre-crime arrest and the action taken in the State's government was purely political. This is probably a modern day witch hunt.

Originally posted by sara123123
It sounds like the guy did not do anything illegal unless the gun was not registered and he did not have a permit. This is a pre-crime arrest and the action taken in the State's government was purely political. This is probably a modern day witch hunt.

He was skulking around an abortion clinic with a gun...

And he wasn't arrested, but he did lose many of his duties in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Originally posted by sara123123
It sounds like the guy did not do anything illegal unless the gun was not registered and he did not have a permit. This is a pre-crime arrest and the action taken in the State's government was purely political. This is probably a modern day witch hunt.

I tend to agree.

The guy didn't do anything wrong and didn't hurt anyone. I can also buy his story. He's obviously not a lunatic so unless he actually hurt someone, this seems like pre-crime harassment on the part of the police.

How can the state admonish the man for NOT violating any laws? Anything in his job description that prevents him from carrying legally?

I see people protesting in front of our local planned parenthood every evening and weekend. In my state, CCW and open carry are both legal. No telling what any of these protesters are carrying under their coats at any time. I don't see them being harassed by the police either.

In the Minnesota case, someone caught a glimpse of his weapon and called the police.

Facts, need more facts. Show me the crime please.

Originally posted by mnemeth1

Originally posted by sara123123
It sounds like the guy did not do anything illegal unless the gun was not registered and he did not have a permit. This is a pre-crime arrest and the action taken in the State's government was purely political. This is probably a modern day witch hunt.

I tend to agree.

The guy didn't do anything wrong and didn't hurt anyone. I can also buy his story. He's obviously not a lunatic so unless he actually hurt someone, this seems like pre-crime harassment on the part of the police.

your right it was harrassment...and i'm glad he got takin down...6 murders of abortion doctors and over 250 bombings of clinics...that's terrorism, plain and simple. what a punk this guys is, and there shouldn't be a good american anywhere siding with this guy. this has nothing to do with gun rights, this was a out and out threat to peoples lives. what? another person has to get shot before it's bad?
what if i came and stood on the sidewalk in front of your house with a holstered gun, you wouldn't call the cops? or go outside holding a shotgun yourself? think, people think.

Last time I checked, there was no law that said a person with a concealed handgun permit may travel anywhere except abortion clinics?! Frankly, I think everyone jumping to the automatic conclusion that he was going there to shoot up the place and/or the "girl" possibly getting the abortion is as crazy as this entire article.

They probably caught him waiting for his mistress that had a change of heart and never showed -- who knows? But that's certainly as plausible as saying he was going to go on a murdering spree.

By the way, people with concealed weapons permits tend to carry all the time, no matter where they are going. It becomes as automatic as putting on your underwear.

reply to post by lpowell0627


I don't know about handgun permits in Minnesota but here in Texas, concealed means concealed. Once permitted, it's actually a violation for me to carry my handgun in a manner that does not keep it concealed. Unless Minnesota has an "open carry" type of permit like Arizona, then he may very well have broken the law.

reply to post by Flatfish


He was in compliance with Minnesota law:

During the 2005 Session, several firearm carry bills were introduced to address the court decisions regarding the 2003 Minnesota Citizens' Personal Protection Act of 2003. In May of 2005, Senate File 2259 was passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Governor Pawlenty signed Senate File 2259 into law (Laws of Minnesota 2005, Chapter 83) on May 24, 2005. This act makes no distinction between "open carry" versus "concealed carry" and persons with a valid permit are allowed to carry using either method.

This is the most recent updated law I could find. Unless it's changed again, he was well within his rights.

Source: www.leg.state.mn.us...

In my opinion Mr. Hackbarth is an unmitigated fool.

If I saw someone loitering outside my place of business with a gun; not only would I call the cops but I would be prepared to blow his brains out with my own piece. He should consider himself lucky that he was just questioned and released. Harassment or not.....

My bet is that he was drunk and should have his CCP taken away and sent in for rehab and follow up counseling until he gets his mind right.

Originally posted by jibeho
How can the state admonish the man for NOT violating any laws? Anything in his job description that prevents him from carrying legally?

I see people protesting in front of our local planned parenthood every evening and weekend. In my state, CCW and open carry are both legal. No telling what any of these protesters are carrying under their coats at any time. I don't see them being harassed by the police either.

In the Minnesota case, someone caught a glimpse of his weapon and called the police.

Facts, need more facts. Show me the crime please.

edit on 27-11-2010 by jibeho because: (no reason given)

Show me where he got arrested...

If he was arrested, I would say you have a point, but was he arrested? No...

I have a question OP, let us say this was not a Concealed Carry state, but a open carry state. Would it still be skulking with a gun?

I go no where without my unregistered, unlicensed, un etc gun. Be it the long rifle or the pistol.

Just wondering when the thought police and thought laws were enacted.

HACKbarth may not have done anything illegal, but seriously here folks, why carry a gun to check up on a woman you met online to see if she was seeing another man? This reeks of creepy jealousy. What if he had seen her with another man? The story here was that he had, met her for coffee once. Explain how that means it's ok to check up on her? Who knows what would have happened had he seen her with another man? He apparently has a permit to carry, but really, why not leave the gun in the car whilst stalking a woman you had recently just met?

New update in the Hackbarth case. It seems he wasn't truthful when questioned by police after he was stopped originally.

Link to the star/tribune from 12/2/10 www.startribune.com...

He met a girl online? I thought politicians had Interns for that type of stuff.

This is purely speculation but what we have here is a "stalking" scenario and this dip**** is going
to be found out and be kicked out of office for embarrassing the GOP with another perv event.

This is the part that makes me think that his story is a fabrication.

Wednesday morning, however, police were contacted by an anonymous tipster who said Hackbarth, a 16-year House veteran, was being untruthful when he provided the name of the woman, police spokesman Andy Skoogman said. The tipster provided a different woman's name.

An easy way to see if this is a "gun rights" or a "creepy republican" story is to check the guys voting record.

Well lets see:

Prevented grants from going to orginizations that provide abortions:
minnesota.publicradio.org...

Voted against any public funds used for abortions:
minnesota.publicradio.org...

Prohibit taxpayer money for abortions and track judges decisions on abortions for minors
minnesota.publicradio.org...

And his story is he was checking up on a woman whom he had dated once (but didnt have her phone number or address) to see if she was on a date with another man.....A date? With another man? At an abortion clinic....and this is some chick he supposedly met on the internet and had coffe with once. Riiiiiiiiiiight.

Anyone defending this guy is picking the wrong battle.