BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TAYLOR MILL -- A Northern Kentucky man who helped win passage of a law allowing people to carry concealed weapons is challenging Democratic congressional candidate Ken Lucas' stance on gun issues.
Mr. Lucas has asserted in interviews and campaign materials that he is "pro gun."Mr. Lucas, of Richwood, the former Boone County judge-executive, is running against Verona Republican State Sen. Gex "Jay" Williams in the 4th Congressional District race.
But Donald Haubner of Taylor Mill is sending information to gun store owners and newspapers throughout the 4th Congressional District, a 22-county area that includes Northern Kentucky, that chastises Mr. Lucas for two votes he took as judge-executive on the concealed-weapons law.
Mr. Haubner said Tuesday that he is also a supporter of Mr. Williams and that his efforts to campaign against Mr. Lucas are as an individual and not as a member of Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed, or KC3. KC3 is the grass-roots organization that collected nearly 30,000 signatures statewide two years ago in lobbying for the law's passage.
Several lawmakers and state officials, including Gov. Paul Patton, said at the time that the signatures and KC3's efforts were instrumental in passing the concealed-carry law.
"Ken Lucas states he is pro gun, but the facts speak for themselves," Mr. Haubner states in a 23-page binder he put together.
The first vote was taken Feb. 13, 1996, and was unanimously passed by the Boone County Fiscal Court. It states the fiscal court is opposed to the concealed-weapons law.
In a statement, Mr. Lucas, who is in Washington this week, said the fiscal court vote was taken prior to the General Assembly's passing the concealed-weapons law.
"At that point in time, there was no provision in the bill to allow local governments to prohibit concealed weapons in government buildings," Mr. Lucas said in the statement. That provision was included in the bill that ultimately passed the legislature.
"My experience as judge-executive has led me to believe that citizens should not be allowed to bring concealed weapons into government buildings such as the Boone County Courthouse," Mr. Lucas said. "Many citizens come to our courthouse with grievances in an excited state, and they should not be armed under such circumstances." The second vote Mr. Haubner cites was taken by the Boone County Fiscal Court on Nov. 26, 1996, after the concealed-carry bill had been signed into law by Mr. Patton.
It authorized the posting of small "concealed deadly weapons prohibited" signs on county-owned buildings, including the courthouse.
"Ken Lucas doesn't trust licensed concealed-carry permit holders in Boone County," Mr. Haubner said.
John Lapp, Mr. Lucas' campaign manager, said Tuesday that it is unfair and out of context to say Mr. Lucas is anti-gun.
Mr. Lapp said Mr. Lucas supports several positions taken by the National Rifle Association, or NRA, including opposing: bans on assault weapons; mandatory locks on handguns; and the Brady law, which requires background checks and waiting periods for people wishing to buy guns.
Mr. Haubner said in an interview Tuesday he still thinks Mr. Lucas' votes on the concealed-carry law "need to be pointed out." In the information Mr. Haubner is circulating in the district, he lauds Mr. Williams' work on the concealed-carry law. Mr. Williams voted for the law, which passed the state Senate, 32-5, on March 7, 1996.
"Gex Williams was actively involved in the passage of Kentucky's concealed-carry bill from the very beginning," Mr. Haubner said.
"Gex Williams is the pro-gun, pro-concealed-carry candidate that the voters of the 4th Congressional District must send to Washington to protect the rights of gun owners and permit holders across the United States of America," Mr. Haubner said.
