A Secret Service agent left his gun unattended on a charter plane that carried Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney Wednesday, as the GOP candidate flew for a campaign event in Indiana. While the plane was in flight between Tampa and Indianapolis, a reporter from CBS News located the weapon in the plane’s lavatory. The reporter alerted the Secret Service agents on the flight, according to a report that was posted on the internet site for the network.
The gun was then immediately retrieved by an agent. It is still unclear what length of time the firearm was left in the lavatory unattended. The agent, who has traveled for weeks with Romney, as part of his protective detail, did not return to Tampa on Romney’s return flight later Wednesday evening.
Since February, Romney has traveled with Secret Service agents who are armed. Ann, his wife, received her detail of armed agents starting last Friday. That kind of protection is typical for any presidential candidate and his or her spouse.
He was accompanied by his Secret Service detail and his campaign aides. On Wednesday night, Republican presidential nominee watched the speech of Paul Ryan his running mate in the hotel across the street from the convention center. On Thursday, Romney officially accepts his party’s nomination and will address the delegates.
Questions about the firearm were referred by Romney aides back to Washington where the Secret Service is headquartered.
