Tell Congress: Tell the Senate to adopt legislation comparable to the "National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011."

Last week, Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, was arrested at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on a gun charge!  He currently faces 15 years in prison.  Yet, he had in his possession a concealed-carry permit.

He has been released following his arraignment, charged with a felony, with a court date set for January 12th in New York City.

Many pro-gun activists have said that he was possibly “singled out” by the Obama administration because of him being who he is.  Tea Party Patriots is one of the largest tea-party organizations.  He actually showed police his pistol permit and explained – and had paperwork to prove it – that the weapon is registered in California.

Due to his high-visibility position, Meckler has had several threats against his life.

Brian Stapleton, Meckler’s lawyer, gave a brief statement to the media:  “Mark Meckler, an attorney and national coordinator for Tea Party Patriots, who holds a concealed-carry permit from the state of California, today was charged with a firearm violation at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

“While in temporary transit through the state of New York in possession of an unloaded, lawful firearm that was locked in a (Transportation Security Administration)-approved safe, he legally declared his possession of the firearm in his checked baggage at the ticket counter as required by law and in a manner approved by TSA and the airline, yet was arrested by port authority for said possession.”

He was not hiding the weapon as he declared it.  He is licensed to carry the gun in his home state of California.  However, New York has much stricter gun control regulations that reveal his California permit is not valid in New York.

On November 16th, the House passed H.R. 822, the concealed carry gun bill, by a margin of 272 – 154.  The purpose of this bill is that a state permit to carry a concealed firearm would be valid in almost every other state in the United States.

But as of yet, it has not been taken up in the United States Senate.  This, of course, is no consolation to Meckler.  We must ensure that the Senate passes this House bill.  Your faxes will help to accomplish this.  Please, it is imperative that you fax today!