The Library of Congress, one of the United States’ most beautiful buildings, owns no less than 160 millions books, maps and documents. It is considered to be the nation’s greatest library, a heritage of information, a ceremonial monument to literature and achievement. The United States Capitol Police go to great lengths to secure it, which is why Bernard Brewer of Westland, Michigan got into so much trouble when he attempted to go through one of the Library’s security checkpoints with a gun.
According to Capitol Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki, Brewer was arrested on Thursday afternoon when he attempted to bring a gun into the Library of Congress. There is no indication whatsoever that Brewer intended any harm and police have said that he volunteered the information about his weapon to the officer at the checkpoint.
Brewer does have a concealed carry permit for Michigan and many states will honor an out of state carry permit. Still, gun laws and the permits regulating the use of firearms are different in every state across the U.S. So it’s easy to understand why Brewer ended up in Washington D.C. with a weapon registered in Michigan.
It is easy to remember that, when crossing a national border into Canada, Mexico, or any other country, that the laws on the other side will be different. But as Americans, we often forget that when going from state to state, the local laws can change dramatically. After all, aside from a highway sign welcoming you to the state you’re about to enter, there is little to remind you that you’ve left your home state, and it’s legislation, behind. No passport, no border guards, no customs check.
It’s easy to forget. And who can blame you? You’re still in America, after all. You haven’t left the country. However that is something that we would do well to remember. Perhaps this unexpected and frustrating situation that Mr. Brewer finds himself in can serve as a cautionary tale for the rest of us. A warning to pay attention to state and local laws when you leave the state of Michigan.
In Washington D.C. getting a gun permit is not the same process as it is in Michigan. While Brewer did have a legal Concealed Carry permit registered for Michigan, in order to get one in the District of Columbia he would have had to apply for a permit from the city. A permit which the city would only have granted if Brewer could have proven that he had “good reason to fear injury” or else a “proper reason” to carry a weapon. Because we are not licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. we express no legal opinion about whether the District would honor a Michigan CPL.
Brewer was charged with a single count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. In Washington D.C. the unlawful possession of a gun is a misdemeanor punishable by 1 year in jail, with fines of up to $1,000. Had this happened in Michigan to someone who had a concealed carry permit for another state, the punishment could have been up to five years in prison. For information about restoration of your gun rights, go to www.RestoreMyGunRights.com