Texas GOP Lawmaker Charged With Felony In Airport Gun Incident

Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, strikes the gavel the opening session of the 82st Texas Legislature, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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A Texas Republican lawmaker was charged with a felony after he allegedly tried to take a gun through security earlier this month at an airport in Austin, according to multiple reports.

Authorities said Texas state Rep. Drew Darby (R) tried to take a .38 caliber Ruger pistol with six rounds of ammunition through security at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper.

When the gun was spotted by security, Darby reportedly told an an officer it was his, that he had a concealed pistol license and had forgotten it was in his bag.

The paper reported he was booked at the Travis County Jail on Nov. 14. He was released a few hours later on a $5,000 bond.

Darby later released a statment saying regretted the incident, according to the Associated Press.

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