This post has been updated.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY) handed fellow Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) a gun on stage.
Mitch McConnell just gave Tom Coburn a gun at #cpac. You know, because. pic.twitter.com/mYvUTBm2Xj
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) March 6, 2014
According to ABC News Senior Washington Correspondent Jeff Zeleny, the gun was meant as a lifetime achievement award from the National Rifle Association.
The gun McConnell presented to Coburn? A lifetime achievement award from the NRA. Coburn is retiring at the end of the year.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) March 6, 2014
Coburn announced plans to retire earlier this year.
TPM obtained the following statement from Prince George’s County Police: “We aren’t aware of any laws being broken by giving a rifle as a gift. There is no requirement to register or to obtain a permit/license to carry a rifle in the state of MD.”
Additional reporting by Igor Bobic.
