A first-term state lawmaker denied Monday she deliberately pointed a loaded gun at a newspaper reporter during an interview at the state Senate.
Sen. Lori Klein, R-Anthem, admitted in a statement she took her .380 Ruger out of its carrying case during an interview last month with Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas in the lounge outside the Senate chamber. But Klein, who refused to comment, instead issued a statement saying that was done for the benefit of the photographer who wanted to see the gun and the laser sight -- and that Ruelas sat down in the path of the laser.
The Republic refused to make Ruelas available. But he told KPNX-TV which, like the Republic, is owned by Gannett, that there was a separate incident, earlier in the interview, where she pointed the gun at his chest.
Ruelas said he did not think much of what had occurred at the time of the June interview. And he mentions it only briefly in a larger story published Sunday on the fact that Klein carries her weapon into the building.
But the story gained national attention when picked up on the Internet. It also resurrected a debate over an unofficial policy that allows senators -- but no one else -- to carry their weapons into the building.
Senate President Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. But Pearce told Capitol Media Services in January that he was not troubled by Klein -- or others -- being armed in the Senate.
"The best thing you could do to protect freedom for yourself and others is to have good citizens that are capable of protecting themselves and others," he said at the time. "I would never have a policy that restricts members."
The story Ruelas did on Klein is part of a package the newspaper is doing about Arizona and the state's history and relationship with guns.
Klein has never been shy about her decision to arm herself and bring the weapon into the Senate.
"I believe that my responsibility is to protect myself," she told Capitol Media Services in January, just days after taking office.
"I'm comfortable carrying," Klein continued. "And I had no intention of creating any concern.''
In his story, Ruelas related that the gun Klein pulled out has no safety. But he said she told him not to worry.
"I just didn't have my hand on the trigger,'' he reported her saying.
Ruelas did not file a police report after the incident, which occurred in early June, or otherwise complain to Senate officials.
Klein, in her statement, denied doing anything improper.
"I ensured that the chamber was clear before displaying the weapon,'' she wrote. Klein also said she pointed the gun at the wall.
But in one version of the statement given to Sonoran Alliance, a conservative blog, Klein added that during this demonstration, "the reporter came and sat down in the sofa in front of me, placing himself in the line of the laser sight,'' her statement says. Klein said she apologized but let him know he was safe "because I keep my finger out of the trigger guard.''
A slightly altered version of the statement released to Capitol Media Services did not mention that.
Ruelas, in his TV interview, said it did not occur to him at the time that his life might have been in danger.
"I didn't know that the gun did not have a safety,'' he said.
"So I figured she must know what she's doing,'' Ruelas continued. "She wouldn't recklessly point a gun at me, so I did not feel in any danger.''
None of that satisfied Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix. He said many shootings occur by people who later insist that their finger was not on the trigger.
Gallardo, who has been a foe of recently enacted laws easing restrictions on who can carry concealed weapons, called on Pearce to reverse his policy that allows lawmakers to bring weapons into the building even though that privilege is denied to others.
He also said the incident should be investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee.
But Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, who chairs the panel, said that Klein's actions, while possibly reckless, did not violate any Senate rules.
"I do agree that it's a violation of the first rule of gun safety, which is don't point a gun at anything you're not willing to shoot,'' he said. Gould also said that if Ruelas had a problem with the senator's actions "he should have made a police report.''
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:00 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Thing is, Lori had to have taken a class before getting her concealed carry permit and still she handled it wrong.
Dale Whiting posted at 1:22 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Precisely, commonsenseaintcommon,
All who carry fire arms, concealed or openly in public [including hunters] need to be required to have such classes. Heck, the police have these classes.
When 16, in order to get a hunting license, I had to take a hunter safety class. And a neighborhood acquaintance, who did not have to take that class because he was an adult, actually killed himself in a hunting accident which was caused by his not handling his own rifle safely. He easily could have killed a hunting compantion. His young family had to get on with life without him. He had no life insurance which would cover this sort of incident.
Where people kill people, not guns, uneducated people are much more likely to kill themselves and those close by.
commonsenseaintcommon posted at 12:15 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Klein should have taken the clip out of the gun, cycled the gun to make sure the chamber was empty, locked the gun in the open position and then pointed the gun at an inaminate onjest to display the laser sight. Ruelas should take a concealed carry class and learn about firearms before doing any kind of a story on them. Can you imagine someone doing a story on something they have no knowledge of? Oh, he works for the Republic. That is normal operating proceedure for them.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 10:59 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Fact is that what Lori did was wrong for several reasons. First thing is she shouldn't have let it be known that she carries concealed. Saying so kinda defeats the purpose of concealed carry. Second thing is never pull your gun in a crowd of people to show off to people you have a gun. Very immature act on her part. Third and most important is that you don't ever, EVER point even an unloaded gun at someone. That event could have ended up being a tragedy. DPS should be reconsidering having given a concealed carry permit to her.
Rich posted at 10:58 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
I'm not sure I really mind the idea of someone carrying a gun. After this story, however, I really do mind Lori Klein carrying one.
RationalHuman posted at 10:12 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Oh and savoy, forgot to add - you're okay with physically assaulting a woman just because you disagree with her?
Because that is what Slabside was advocating, and what you are defending.
Pathetic and ignorant.
RationalHuman posted at 10:09 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
savoy54 wrote:
"you have issues that need professional attention. you seem to seek slabside out in these posts just to initiate a confrontation."
Wow, another nut job.
Try learning to read posts...other than this particular article, who seems whom out to initiate confrontations? You have it backwards.
Oh, and notice which one of us invites the other to lick his exrement orifice, then fondles his own genitalia and tells us about it in his comments (the one right after yours).
Professional help may not be enough!
Dale Whiting posted at 8:24 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Although Klien denied . . . she deliberately pointed a loaded gun at a newspaper reporter during an interview at the state Senate, she did not deny it was loaded, thereby implying that it was!
Klein, in her statement, denied doing anything improper.
In his story, Ruelas related that the gun Klein pulled out has no safety. But he said she told him not to worry.
"I just didn't have my hand on the trigger,'' he reported her saying.
Klein issued a statement saying that was done for the benefit of the photographer who wanted to see the gun and the laser sight -- and that Ruelas sat down in the path of the laser.
The question ought to be "Did Klein have Ruelas' permission to point a loaded gun with lazer sight turned on at him?" We are not tole. But second question is "Is doing so, even inadvertantly, with or without permission, wise? That answer is a big NO. It's like playing chicken with someone else's life. "She didn't know the gun was loaded!"
BGDad posted at 4:47 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Well, she committed a class 1 misdemeanor under state law. If law enforcement has knowledge of this, which they now do, they do not need Mr. Ruelas to "press charges" or "file a police report" in order to cite her for the violation. Gun rights advocates should be pushing hard for this as a means of showing they promote responsible gun ownership.
And this kinda makes you think: How often does Sen. Klein place her purse on a table somewhere, either in the senate chamber, or the building lobby, or next to her chair in a restaurant, leaving it open to being stolen and used in a crime? This is of increased concern now that the whole world knows she's packin'. I think women should be required to strap their piece to their bodies rather than carry it in some separate container like a purse or briefcase. And if she is so careless as to "inadvertently" violate the first rule of responsible gun ownership, what does she do with her purse when she gets home? Are there children in her house? Does she just toss her purse onto the kitchen counter and start making dinner? That purty pink pistol might look like a fun little toy to a small child. Just sayin'.
savoy54 posted at 1:19 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
rationalhuman, slabside is right... you have issues that need professional attention. you seem to seek slabside out in these posts just to initiate a confrontation.
Slabside posted at 9:47 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
I'm going to reach down into the front of my trousers and squeeze you by the neck irrational until you squeek.
RationalHuman posted at 9:29 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
I'm all for responsible gun ownership...uneducated gun owners like Klein only serve to provide fodder for the anti-2nd Amendment lobby...but to suggest she be physically assaulted for it, even in jest?
Oh wait, this is "lick my brown round" Slabside!
Always disappointed, never surprised. ;)
Slabside posted at 8:48 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Deliberate or not, Klein should have had the dog p o o d i e slapped out of her for doing such a stupid thing.