Haslam-gun owners should be able to keep weapons cars

[Tim Nunan]

Bill Haslam says gun owners should be able to keep weapons in locked cars at work » The Commercial Appeal

By Richard Locker

Posted October 26, 2010 at midnight

SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. -- Gun issues continued to dominate the race for governor as the campaign entered its last full week Monday.

Speaking to reporters at a campaign stop here, Republican Bill Haslam appeared to have changed his position on an issue that has pitted Tennessee's biggest employers against gun-rights activists: employers' right to ban employees from bringing guns onto their property.

When asked his views, Haslam said "the employers should have the decision about what happens in, on their property."

Later Monday, the Haslam camp said the candidate misheard reporters' questions and still favors giving handgun-carry permit holders a right to keep guns in their locked vehicles at work regardless of their employer's policies. That's consistent with a stand he took early this year in a gun-issue survey by Tennessee newspapers.

Democrat Mike McWherter, campaigning south of Nashville, continued attacking his opponent on the issue and said it raises questions about his leadership.

"I can't keep track of where he is on any of these issues nowadays," he said. "... He's flip-flopped on so many different positions, I don't know where he is and I don't think the voters of Tennessee know where he is either."

Last week, Haslam told the Tennessee Firearms Association he would sign into law -- if the legislature passed it -- a bill abolishing the state's handgun-carry permit system.

Discussing related gun issues Monday, Haslam was asked about his views on other gun-law changes that some activists have proposed, including allowing handgun-permit holders to take their guns onto employers' parking lots whether the employer allows them or not, including school employees.

"My position has always been, whoever is in charge of that -- it's like a bar, the bar owner should be able to decide what happens there," Haslam said. "The schools -- the local school boards should be able to decide. Whoever has control over that property should be able to decide what happens there."

Question: "But currently, it's a state ban on guns in public schools. So you want to do away with the state ban?"

Haslam: "No, I wouldn't. I would not touch that ban on any kind of handguns in schools."

Question: "And employers?"

Haslam: "Again, the employers should have the decision about what happens in, on their property."

But later Monday, Haslam campaign spokesman David Smith said the candidate misheard the question.

"His position is the same as it's always been," he said. "He misheard your question and answered regarding whether employers should have the ability to decide whether they allow weapons to be carried on the person or inside private buildings. Regarding parking lots, he continues to believe that legal carriers should be able to keep their weapon locked up inside their car."

That's consistent with the response Haslam gave last January in a Tennessee Newspaper Network survey on gun issues.

McWherter said Monday that his position is that the employer should retain the right to set policy on his property. As a hunter, he said he thinks it's in their best interests to give employees the "convenience" of leaving guns in their locked vehicles.

[Guest SUNTZU]

That's consistent with the response Haslam gave last January in a Tennessee Newspaper Network survey on gun issues.

So long as he is consistent people will vote for him. Even if he lies about support for your right to keep and bear arms. This is the same guy who said he didn't have any say over whether guns should be allowed in city parks, Knoxville's specifically. "What color is the grass?" "What color would you like it to be?" I don't understand how people believe his "consistent" remarks about RKBA topics that flop around like a catfish on a riverbank.

[Raoul]

So long as he is consistent people will vote for him. Even if he lies about support for your right to keep and bear arms. This is the same guy who said he didn't have any say over whether guns should be allowed in city parks, Knoxville's specifically. "What color is the grass?" "What color would you like it to be?" I don't understand how people believe his "consistent" remarks about RKBA topics that flop around like a catfish on a riverbank.

This guy has me worried. I don't like him now and I didn't like him in the primary race. "I accidentally joined an anti-gun mayors organization started by Michael Bloomberg." Right.

[analog_kidd]

Apparently, Haslam thinks people should be able to keep their own firearms in their own cars in the parking lot of their jobs... unless it's in the parking lot of a business he owns!

Haslam company bans firearms in lots » Knoxville News Sentinel

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Republican gubernatorial candidate a.inline_topic:hover { background-color: #EAEAEA;}Bill Haslam's support for requiring businesses to allow their workers to store guns in vehicles parked on company property conflicts with the policy in place for the 20,000 employees at a chain of truck stops his family owns.

Company spokeswoman Cynthia Moxley told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Knoxville-based Pilot Flying J prohibits workers from storing firearms in their vehicles at both its travel centers and corporate offices.

Haslam said after a speech in Nashville on Tuesday that he was unaware of the policy.

"The leadership of that company made a decision on that," he said. "I never had a role in even talking to them about it. I didn't even know what the rule was."

Haslam was president of Pilot until he was elected Knoxville mayor in 2003. The company was founded by his father Jim Haslam and is now run by his brother Jimmy Haslam. The candidate maintains an unspecified stake in the company with annual revenues of $20 billion, but won't detail how much he earns from Pilot.

Efforts to repeal a state law that lets companies decide whether to forbid employees from keeping guns in their cars while they work has pitted advocates like the National Rifle Association and Tennessee Firearms Association against business interests like the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Memphis-based Fedex Corp., whose lobbyists in committee hearings have argued that the gun ban is a workplace safety issue.

Haslam caused some confusion on the campaign trail Monday when he first said it should be up to employers to decide about gun policies on their property, but later clarified that business owners' rights shouldn't extend to firearms stored in locked cars.

Haslam's gun positions have come under closer scrutiny since he told the Tennessee Firearms Association last week he would sign into law efforts to end a requirement for people to obtain state-issued permits in order to carry handguns in public.

The Republican said his personal preference is to maintain the current requirements for the state's about 300,000 permit holders, but that he would defer to the will of the Legislature on the matter.

Haslam, who does not own a gun, said he also supports a new state law allowing handgun carry permit holders to be armed in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. The measure has been subject of two overrides of gubernatorial vetos in the last two years.

Democrat a.inline_topic:hover { background-color: #EAEAEA;}Mike McWherter has seized on Haslam's positions on guns, calling it "irresponsible" because it will encourage sympathetic lawmakers to pass a bill to do away with handgun carry permits. He also argues for restoring a ban on handguns at late-night bars.

McWherter said it is the policy at his Jackson beer distributorship to allow workers to keep guns in their cars company premises, but he wants to leave it up to each business to decide for itself.

"Bill Haslam is for letting anyone bring a gun to work unless they work for his oil company, in which case they can't," McWherter spokesman Shelby White said in an e-mail. "He's all over the map on a fundamental public safety issue."

[Mark@Sea]

You can judge a man by the company he keeps, or by the difference between what he says and what he does.

[Motasyco]

I don't like him much but I don't like the alternative more.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I don't like him much but I don't like the alternative more.

I have to agree with this. What other choices are there?

Don't dare let Mcwhatshisname get elected because you hate Haslam so much. I voted for Ramsey

in the primary, too.

[eapking]

Clearly Haslam knows nothing about firearms, the laws, etc. and can't keep his stories straight. Jeez what a tool that I'm probably going to vote for. Still the lesser of two evils (well I hope).

[Volzfan]

You can judge a man by the company he keeps, or by the difference between what he says and what he does.

I don't like him much but I don't like the alternative more.

I have to agree with this. What other choices are there?

Don't dare let Mcwhatshisname get elected because you hate Haslam so much. I voted for Ramsey

in the primary, too.

Clearly Haslam knows nothing about firearms, the laws, etc. and can't keep his stories straight. Jeez what a tool that I'm probably going to vote for. Still the lesser of two evils (well I hope).

Yep!

[Fallguy]

I don't like him much but I don't like the alternative more.

Yep...

But it does seem he'll say what ever he thinks he needs to appease the person(s) in front of him at the moment, without thinking if it might contradict something he said to others earlier.

[daddyo]

Neither Haslam nor Ned Ray Bob Jr. get my vote.

[Guest TnRebel]

Apparently, Haslam thinks people should be able to keep their own firearms in their own cars in the parking lot of their jobs... unless it's in the parking lot of a business he owns!

Haslam company bans firearms in lots » Knoxville News Sentinel

In todays paper ( Kingsport Times ) It said that Haslam stepped down from decision makings with Pilot in 2003 when he took office as mayor and his brother made that policy in 2007 same with the price gouging in 2004 when the Big Storms hit Florida and SC.

Edited October 27, 2010 by TnRebel

[greenego]

Neither Haslam nor Ned Ray Bob Jr. get my vote.

Same here. There is something like 14 running for governor.

[E4 No More]

Neither Haslam nor Ned Ray Bob Jr. get my vote.

That'll teach'em!

[Mike.357]

That'll teach'em!

yeah, keeping on with more of the same old same old really has worked well for this country

[Raoul]

yeah, keeping on with more of the same old same old really has worked well for this country

Amen, Amen...

[Guest Carryin Counselor]

Unfortunately Haslam is the only choice. I voted for Ramsey, but I guess money does win elections.

[RobertNashville]

Maybe we need just one giant thread where everybody can complain about Haslam...these multiple threads are giving me a headache.

[JAB]

Neither Haslam nor Ned Ray Bob Jr. get my vote.

I don't want to vote for Haslam or McWherter, either. Problem is, I can't seen to find anything better among the other (independent) candidates.

I plan to early vote today so I have been doing a little research into the positions held by the independents who are running. My problem is that there aren't many who seem to fully support firearms and carry rights. Even the ones who mostly support us, except for one or two, are opposed to legal carry where alchohol is served. Not having to stash my gun to legally eat a meal where someone else might happen to be having a beer is a right that was too hard fought for me to vote for someone who openly opposes that right.

Another problem is that many of the independent candidates come across as either loose cannons or just plain, old, bat-sh*t crazy. The ones who don't - and with whom I agree on gun rights - I disagree with on other, important issues.

At first blush, I thought that Carl "TwoFeathers" Whitaker might be a good alternative but the more I tried to research his stance on issues, the more I found vague 'sound-byte' type statements and no specifics. Plus something about him started to 'feel' a bit shady, although I can't identify exactly why.

Thing is, I guess that Haslam (like Bredesen) will at least try to 'keep his nose clean' with regards to firearms rights for his first term because he will want to be re-elected. As bad as I hate to say it, he just might get my vote by default.

I know I could just write in my dog or something but I want to at least vote for an actual candidate. Besides, I like my dog too much to do want to see her in political office.

Edited October 28, 2010 by JAB

[daddyo]

I don't want to vote for Haslam or McWherter, either. Problem is, I can't seen to find anything better among the other (independent) candidates.

I plan to early vote today so I have been doing a little research into the positions held by the independents who are running. My problem is that there aren't many who seem to fully support firearms and carry rights. Even the ones who mostly support us, except for one or two, are opposed to legal carry where alchohol is served. Not having to stash my gun to legally eat a meal where someone else might happen to be having a beer is a right that was too hard fought for me to vote for someone who openly opposes that right.

Another problem is that many of the independent candidates come across as either loose cannons or just plain, old, bat-sh*t crazy. The ones who don't - and with whom I agree on gun rights - I disagree with on other, important issues.

At first blush, I thought that Carl "TwoFeathers" Whitaker might be a good alternative but the more I tried to research his stance on issues, the more I found vague 'sound-byte' type statements and no specifics. Plus something about him started to 'feel' a bit shady, although I can't identify exactly why.

Thing is, I guess that Haslam (like Bredesen) will at least try to 'keep his nose clean' with regards to firearms rights for his first term because he will want to be re-elected. As bad as I hate to say it, he just might get my vote by default.

I know I could just write in my dog or something but I want to at least vote for an actual candidate. Besides, I like my dog too much to do want to see her in political office.

I'm pretty sure I read that Bayron Binkley supports the restaurant carry law, even though I can't find it now. I'll keep looking.

[daddyo]

That'll teach'em!

Make you a deal: you vote how you want, and I'll do the same.

[JAB]

I'm pretty sure I read that Bayron Binkley supports the restaurant carry law, even though I can't find it now. I'll keep looking.

Not according to his answers to the Project Vote Smart questionairre:

Project Vote Smart - Bayron E. Binkley, Jr. - Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

He apparently answered, "No," to a question specifically asking about support for carry where alcohol is served. He also answered, "Yes," to the question, "Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?" Of course, that could simply mean that he doesn't think that felons should be able to legally purchase them and I would not object to that. My problem is that he didn't explain his stance on such 'restrictions' in more detail in the place provided (as he did with some other issues.)

I also disagree with his stated stance on other issues. For instance, he answered, "Yes," to the following question, "Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?" I am all for protecting the environment and would support sensible laws that help do that. However, the whole idea that people are the cause of "climate change" when such has been a cyclic part of the planet's climate for eons, is asinine and I would prefer not voting for a candidate who would support more useless government regulations aimed supposedly at controlling something we can't control (and which would probably really only have the result of increased prices.) There are other issues where I disagree with him, but those are just a couple of examples.

Part of the problem, though, is that neither McWherter nor Haslam responded to the questionairre so I can't directly compare their answers to the answers of those candidates who did respond. For the record, not all of the independents ocurred, either.

Edited October 28, 2010 by JAB

[daddyo]

Not according to his answers to the Project Vote Smart questionairre:

Project Vote Smart - Bayron E. Binkley, Jr. - Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

He apparently answered, "No," to a question specifically asking about support for carry where alcohol is served. He also answered, "Yes," to the question, "Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?" Of course, that could simply mean that he doesn't think that felons should be able to legally purchase them. My problem is that he didn't explain his stance on such 'restrictions' in more detail in the place provided (as he did with some other issues.)

I also disagree with his stated stance on other issues. For instance, he answered, "Yes," to the following question, "Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?" I am all for protecting the environment and would support sensible laws that help do that. However, the whole idea that people are the cause of "climate change" when such has been a cyclic part of the planet's climate for eons, is asinine and I would prefer not voting for a candidate who would support more useless government regulations aimed supposedly at controlling something we can't control (and which would probably really only have the result of increased prices.) There are other issues where I disagree with him, but those are just a couple of examples.

Part of the problem, though, is that neither McWherter nor Haslam responded to the questionairre so I can't directly compare their answers to the answers of those candidates who did respond. For the record, not all of the independents ocurred, either.

Then I stand corrected. Thanks for enlightening me. Now I don't know what I'm going to do.

[E4 No More]

Make you a deal: you vote how you want, and I'll do the same.

Actually, that would be that I vote the way I want to and you don't vote, right? And that's like casting your vote for the guy who is definitely anti-gun.

[mikegideon]

Same here. There is something like 14 running for governor.

But only two that have a snowballs chance of getting the gig.

EDIT: I just wish haslam would make up his mind about guns. he's flip floppin' his but off. With that said, I don't get the feeling he's gonna go on an anti gun crusade. Not so sure if i feel the same about Son of Ned

Edited October 28, 2010 by mikegideon