The president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council has been arrested for carrying a gun into a Congressional building.
Ronald William Prestage was attempting to enter the Cannon House Office Building, which is where U.S. Representatives have offices.
As UPI reports, he was carrying a 9mm Ruger handgun and magazine.
No word yet what the gunman was planning.
The offense carries up to five years in prison.
However, what wire stories have not picked up on is the fact that this is the same Ron Prestage who is the president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council, an ag industry lobby group.
The NPPC has been out front opposing modest animal welfare reforms, like the elimination of gestation crates which keep pigs confined their entire lives without being able to turn around. (For background, check out this great Washington Post piece.)
Prestage farms has been exposed by the Humane Society through undercover investigations. Sick and injured pigs were seen struggling to stand.
Ironically, the NPPC has also lobbied for new laws labeling animal advocates as “extremists” and “terrorists.” The NPPC was one of many industry groups that advocated for the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, for instance.
Just a few weeks ago, animal rights activists were indicted as terrorists under this law for allegedly freeing mink from fur farms.
Think what would happen if an animal activist had been the one carrying a weapon into a capitol building.
Instead of wasting resources by focusing on non-violent activists as “terrorists,” perhaps lawmakers and the FBI should be investigated ag industry lobby groups.
After all, they’re the only ones who are armed.