JAMES WEBB GUN UPDATE:

Authorities dropped charges Friday against an aide to Virginia Sen. Jim Webb who carried a loaded gun into the U.S. Capitol complex.

“After reviewing and analyzing all of the evidence in the case, we do not believe the essential elements of the crime of carrying a pistol without a license can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt,” U.S. Attorney Jeff Taylor, top prosecutor in the District of Columbia, said in a short statement.

Webb senior aide Phillip Thompson, 45, was arrested on March 26 after Capitol Police spotted the loaded pistol and two other loaded magazines in a briefcase being scanned by an X-ray machine at the entrance of the Russell Senate office building.

Stlll no news on who the gun belonged to, though. I think this was the right outcome, as there wasn’t any evidence that Thompson knew he had a gun in the bag. I just hope that others will get similar treatment. People don’t always get off as easily in these circumstances. (Via Volokh).

UPDATE: Reader Patrick Gigliotti emails:

Webb is in Virginia, yes? Va. Tech is in Virginia, yes? If Senator Webb were a Republican we would be swamped with stories in the media about how his gun obsession influenced the minds of the youth in his state. The normal story line of “what message does this send to our children” did not appear. Gun control nutters have not mentioned his name. Curious.

Good point.