Haley Barbour ex
Haley Barbour
Former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour  arrested with a loaded handgun in  his  briefcase as  he  went through an airport security checkpoint in early January. (Photo: Jack Gruber  USA TODAY)
JACKSON  Miss. â  Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour  said  he  will pay a fine after being arrested with a loaded handgun in  his  briefcase as  he  went through an airport security checkpoint in early January.
 Barbour  â Republican National Committee chairman in the mid-1990s and governor from 2004-12 â told the Associated Press Tuesday  he  was trying to board a flight Jan. 2 from Jackson to Washington  D.C.  He  said  he  forgot  he  was carrying the gun  which  he  had put in  his  briefcase after an assistant removed it from  his  car days earlier.
âThis was absentmindedness and nobodyâs fault but mine â said  Barbour   70  who lives in Mississippi and frequently travels to the nationâs capital for  his  job as a lobbyist.
The TSA would not release the passengerâs name  but Farbstein confirmed it was a former governor  and  Barbour  confirmed to AP that he was that passenger.
 Barbour  said  he  did not dispute Farbsteinâs use of the word âarrest â though  he  said  he  was not handcuffed and no mug shot photo was taken.  Barbour  described the TSA officers and the airport police as âvery nice but very professional.â
âThey did exactly what they should have done  which was treat me like anybody else â  Barbour  said.
 Barbour  said the gun was confiscated and  he  then boarded  his  flight to Washington.
âNext time  Iâll be more observant about getting stuff out of my briefcase â  he  said.
[TGT] arrested with a loaded handgun in   [TGT]   briefcase as   [TGT]   went through an airport security checkpoint in early January. (Photo: Jack Gruber  USA TODAY)
JACKSON  Miss. â   [TGT] said   [TGT]   will pay a fine after being arrested with a loaded handgun in   [TGT]   briefcase as   [TGT]   went through an airport security checkpoint in early January.
  [TGT] â Republican National Committee chairman in the mid-1990s and governor from 2004-12 â told the Associated Press Tuesday  he  was trying to board a flight Jan. 2 from Jackson to Washington  D.C.  He  said  he  forgot  he  was carrying the gun  which  he  had put in  his  briefcase after an assistant removed it from  his  car days earlier.
âThis was absentmindedness and nobodyâs fault but mine â said  Barbour   70  who lives in Mississippi and frequently travels to the nationâs capital for  his  job as a lobbyist.
The TSA would not release the passengerâs name  but Farbstein confirmed it was a former governor  and  Barbour  confirmed to AP that he was that passenger.
 Barbour  said  he  did not dispute Farbsteinâs use of the word âarrest â though  he  said  he  was not handcuffed and no mug shot photo was taken.  Barbour  described the TSA officers and the airport police as âvery nice but very professional.â
âThey did exactly what they should have done  which was treat me like anybody else â  Barbour  said.
 Barbour  said the gun was confiscated and  he  then boarded  his  flight to Washington.
âNext time  Iâll be more observant about getting stuff out of my briefcase â  he  said.