Minn. Pol With Gun Outside Abortion Clinic Says He Was Just In Area 'Checking On' His Girlfriend

[RamboLiberal]

A security guard at a St. Paul Planned Parenthood clinic called the cops last week after he spotted a Republican state lawmaker with a loaded gun in the parking lot. But the pol says he was only "checking on" his online girlfriend, who he thought may be on a date with another man -- a claim police have not been able to corroborate because the man did not have a phone number or address for the woman.

According to the police report, a security guard reported the man, Rep. Tom Hackbarth, after he saw him get out of a pickup truck in the parking lot with a loaded gun in a hip holster. The guard saw him walk into an alley near the clinic.

When police came, they handcuffed him and took his gun, which he has a concealed carry permit for. Hackbarth claimed he didn't realize he was in the Planned Parenthood parking lot, according to the police report. He said he was in the neighborhood looking for his girlfriend, a woman he said he had met online a few months before and had been on a couple dates with.

Police have not been able to track down the mystery woman. Hackbarth said he didn't have her phone number or address, as he only communicated with her via an online dating site. He also told police he didn't remember the name of the site.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/minn_pol_with_gun_outside_abortion_clinic_says_he.php?ref=fpb

ST. PAUL (WCCO) — A Minnesota lawmaker is trying to explain why he showed up at a Planned Parenthood with a loaded gun. He says he just happened to pick that parking lot.

Surveillance cameras at the Planned Parenthood in St. Paul spotted Representative Tom Hackbarth of Cedar, Minn., parking his pickup and getting out with a .38 Smith and Wesson on his right hip.

Hackbarth, who is a new chairman of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, told WCCO-TV by telephone he had “no clue” he’d parked next to a security-conscious abortion facility.

The Republican representative said a romance that started online put him in the wrong place.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2010/11/24/armed-mn-lawmaker-arrested-near-planned-parenthood/

[geckosfeet]

1. I have a loaded gun and I don't know where I am but I am chasing a woman.

What a dork. At least he was licensed.

With all the clinic bombings, shootings, harassing and assorted nut baggery you would think he would,,, you know,,, think.

[Maru Kitteh]

32. "At least he was licensed?" - To what? Do armed stakeouts of health clinics serving vulnerable

women?

To creep on imaginary girlfriends he doesn't know the name or phone number or any contact information for?

What, pray tell difference does the "license" make?

[Iggo]

2. Be vewy quiet. I'm hunting women! (n/t)

[glinda]

28. Majority of his Committee assignments and Laws he introduced deal with hunting.

So why not add women to it?

[Angry Dragon]

3. And these are the people that are going to lead on to better times

I guess we all need guns to go look for dates

[Lindsay]

5. Well, it would require a gun

to get me to go out with a Republican. ;-)

[kickysnana]

25. +1

:rofl:

[kestrel91316]

4. I wonder what his alt.com profile looks like.....

:rofl:

[TheWraith]

13. ...

:spray: :rofl:

[somone]

6. He doesn't know the name of the online dating site he used

Yeah, right

[Recursion]

8. I'm guessing rentboy.com (nt)

[glinda]

29. BS for sure. Wonder if there were people in the building?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. He may be a good shot, but as a Bullshit Artist he's a flop.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. sick f*ck.....

[Edweird]

10. Dude, if you don't have her number or address she is NOT your girlfriend. You are a stalker.

If she's on a date with another guy it means she's not that in to you. A confrontation with a gun is not going to go the way you seem to think it is.

[MrsMatt]

11. Baloney -

No way in hell did he not know he was in the Planned Parenthood parking lot. He's from the outer suburbs of Mpls/SP and Catholic to boot.

EVERYONE knows where the PP is in the metro area, as evidenced by the daily vigils of the crazies on the sidewalk.

[gratuitous]

12. Just another law-abiding citizen

Until the moment he isn't, at which time it might be too late for someone.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. This smells.

[spin]

15. Rep. Tom Hackbarth has a carry permit ...

and in Minnesota he doesn't even have to conceal his firearm.

If I have a permit to carry a pistol do I have to conceal the pistol?

No. Minnesota’s Personal Protection Act is a permit to carry law, not a conceal and carry law. The pistol does not need to be concealed, but can be concealed.
http://apps.carryconcealed.net/legal/minnesota-ccw-state-laws.php

As far as I can see, carrying a firearm in the parking lot of an Abortion Clinic is not illegal unless the parking lot is posted.

24. Where am I prohibited from carrying my pistol?

* School property
* A childcare center while children are present
* Public colleges and universities – may have policy restricting the carrying of weapons on their premises by employees and students while on campus
* Private establishments that have posted a sign banning guns on their premises
* Private establishments who have personally informed the permit holder that guns are prohibited and demands compliance
* Places of employment, public or private, if employer restricts the carry or possession of firearms by is employees
* State correctional facilities or state hospitals and grounds (MN Statute 243.55)
* Any jail, lockup or correctional facility (MN Statute 641.165)
* Courthouse complexes, unless the sheriff is notified (MN Statute 609.66)
* Offices and courtrooms of the Minnesota Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
* Any state building unless the commissioner of public safety is notified (MN Statute 609.66)
* In a field while hunting big game by archery, except when hunting bear (MN Statute 97B.211)
* In federal court facilities or other federal facilities (Title 18 U.S.C.§ 930)
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/bca/CJIS/Documents/CarryPermit/FAQs.html#conceal

Obviously there was no major problem.

Police found maps, binoculars and more ammunition in his truck. They did not press charges, and returned Hackbarth's gun to him a week later.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/minn_pol_with_gun_outside_abortion_clinic_says_he.php?ref=fpb

Obviously, he picked a bad parking lot to be noticed carrying a weapon. He is married but...

“We have to air our dirty laundry? My wife and I are going through a divorce we are separated. We’ve been separated for about a year and a half now,” said Hackbarth.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2010/11/24/armed-mn-lawmaker-arrested-near-planned-parenthood/

It's hard to know his actual motive for having a firearm with him, but many people who have carry permits carry on a regular basis. He states ...

“I have a permit to carry legally. I carry my gun all the time. I have never had an incident and everything is perfectly legal and above board,” said Hackbarth.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2010/11/24/armed-mn-lawmaker-arrested-near-planned-parenthood/

I'm not necessarily defending him as I have no idea what his intentions were, however I fail to see any serious violations of the law.

[mod mom]

18. My guess is Abortion Clinics post a NO -firearms sign on their primises.

[mod mom]

19. update: Republican leaders in the Minnesota state house have stripped Hackbarth of his leadership po

Late update: Republican leaders in the Minnesota state house have stripped Hackbarth of his leadership positions, reports the Star Tribune.

"Due to an incident on Tuesday, November 16, State Representative Tom Hackbarth has been suspended from any current and pending leadership roles within the House GOP Caucus," House Speaker-elect Kurt Zellers said in a statement. "The suspension will remain in effect until the issue is fully resolved."

Because there are no charges pending against Hackbarth, it is unclear what Zellers means by "fully resolved."

-snip

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/minn_pol_with_gun_outside_abortion_clinic_says_he.php?ref=fpb

They must suspect that this guy is a crazy!

[Hello_Kitty]

24. I guess this is what it takes for even your fellow Republicans to agree you're nuts

They seem to excuse a whole lot of other disturbing behavior displayed by members of their tribe.

[spin]

21. If I ran an abortion clinic, I would put a sign in the parking lot and on the door ...

But I would be armed and so would my employees if they wanted to!

And I would pay the range fee and buy the ammo for any employee who wanted to practice with me at the range.

[RSillsbee]

34. They may well do so

But in Colorado (as well as many other states) those signs have exactly zero legal force

[Barack_America]

16. Isn't he a clever one?

Tough guy looking to intimidate women exercising their reproductive freedoms.

From a TPM commenter:

"Something about that guy just screams "impotent religious fanatic who still sleeps with a night-light on"".

Yup.

[me b zola]

17. I wonder how many "pro-life" websites he posts on

:shrug:

[asdjrocky]

20. That guy is a killer.

If he hasn't killed yet, he will the second he gets the chance. You can count on that.

[musette_sf]

22. I'm putting my money on

Tom got girlfriend pregnant

Girlfriend doesn't want to be pregnant, at least not with Tom

Girlfriend told him, or he found out, that she was going to take care of business and get her mistake corrected

Tom stalks reproductive health care clinics, armed, to (a) try and stop her; (b) punish her if he can't stop her; (c) threaten and/or harm clinic staff; or (d) all of these

[Hello_Kitty]

23. That's what I think too. Wonder if Tommy Boy has a wife too. eom

[geardaddy]

26. Yes, he does

According to this article, he's divorcing his wife of 25 years.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/110276274.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O

[glinda]

31. Would make sense.

[47of74]

27. I wonder if he provided them with a business card....

...and asked what they thought of that?

[AlienGirl]

30. This totally sounds like something Peter Nehr (R-Florida) would do....

[hayu_lol]

33. Wife's name is Mary...

they have three kids. Supposedly separated for over a year, supposedly a divorce pending, dunno if any papers filed.

Previous job was in auto parts(capacity unknown)and attended a community college.

The coffee bit seems to have been a first meeting with this mystery woman. Why would anyone check out a woman after just one meeting. Over the top as far as I'm concerned.