Naifeh To Go Heeled In Legislature If Permit Holder Ban Is Lifted

By Kleinheider Posted on May 12, 2009 at 6:59 am

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Speaker Kent Williams have the authority to allow lawful handgun permit holders to bring guns into Legislative Plaza. If they do lift the ban, Speaker Emeritus Naifeh will be strapped as well, just in case tax protesters start getting any ideas:

“According to the NRA, handgun permit holders are more responsible with their firearms than off-duty police officers,” [Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey] said. “I believe that.”

If the ban on guns in the Legislative Plaza is lifted, he said, 220,000 trained and responsible permit holders would have the right to bring their guns in, but 6 million other Tennesseans would still be banned.

The two speakers would have to agree to overturn the ban imposed by Naifeh and Wilder. Naifeh said he hopes it will remain in place.

“I’d hate to think of people having guns up here in ‘02,” he said, referring to mass protests when the Legislature considered a state income tax in 2002.

“If they do (allow guns), I guess I’ll have to pack mine,” said Naifeh, one of 34 state legislators who are listed as holding handgun carry permits.

SEE ALSO: Andy Sher

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Tags: carry permit, guns in the capitol, Handgun permits, Jimmy Naifeh, Kent Williams, Legislative Plaza, Ron Ramsey, strapped in the Capitol, Tennessee State Capitol building  

Remembering Tommy Burks

By Kleinheider Posted on April 2, 2009 at 9:11 pm

Rep. Henry Fincher on why he wants to carry his steel in the Plaza:

“On October 1998, a senator from Putnam County, my friend, Sen. Tommy Burks, was foully murdered on his home property by his opponent, his Republican opponent, who was running for his senate seat he was shot down dead we are in danger because of the positions we have to take so I certainly understand and agree that judges are in a difficult situation, I see that constantly. They have to make hard decisions about people’s families, their kids, and whether they are going to jail. I fundamentally disagree with the premise that we are not in danger because that danger was brought home in a very personal way to me and I take issue with that premise, Mr. Speaker.”

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Tags: Byron Looper, carry permit, guns, guns in the capitol, Henry Fincher, Tommy Burks