Illinois State Senator Arrested For Packing Gun At O’Hare Airport

Illinois State Senator Donne Trotter of the 17th District was arrested Wednesday morning at O’Hare Aiport for bringing a handgun and bullets through a security check point.

Trotter was on his way to Washington, D.C., The Huffington Post reports, when TSA agents discovered an unloaded .25 caliber pistol and a clip loaded with live rounds tucked inside Trotter’s luggage around 8 am. To explain packing a gun, Trotter told authorities that the night before he worked the late shift for security for Allpoints Security and Detective Inc, a security company based in the south side neighborhood of South Shore. Trotter said that he didn’t realize the weapon and bullets were in his bag when he packed for his trip.

Trotter was charged with felony attempt to board an aircraft with a weapon and remains in custody pending a bond hearing. While Trotter had a valid firearm owners identification card that was registered to his senate office in the state capitol, it remains unclear if f the pistol was registered in Chicago as required by the city’s handgun ordinance.

Trotter, who has been in office since for 19 years, had just announced last week that he would run for the Congressional seat vacated by former US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. earlier this fall. Trotter has been endorsed by Thornton Township Supervisor and Democratic Committeeman Frank Zuccarelli, who has huge pull and weight in Cook County to ensure Trotter gets slated as the Democratic candidate. It is uncertain whether Zuccarelli will maintain his endorsement.

It has been a busy week for the Illinois Senate, which passed a vote on allowing illegal immigrants to get temporary Illinois drivers licenses by a 41-14 margin.