YORK, Maine — A man who attended last week’s candidates’ night forum carrying a holstered gun on his belt has caused the York Public Library to review its policy on carrying weapons into the building where the event was held.
In addition, the incident has raised questions about what to expect at the next candidates’ forum Wednesday at the Kittery Town Hall.
Steve Reiner, a consultant with the Republican party in Maine, said he was exercising his federal Constitutional right and the state’s open carry law when he attended Tuesday’s forum carrying a holstered handgun on his belt.
“I’m not trying to offend anyone,” Reiner said Friday. “People should know what their rights are.”
Reiner, of Eliot, is a GOP consultant working at the York County campaign field office at Eliot Commons on Route 236 in Eliot, he said.
He had the firearm on his belt at the office on Friday.
“I have it on me daily,” he said.
There are bullets in the clip but none in the chamber, he said.
David Sorensen, communications director for the Maine Republican Party, said Reiner was speaking for himself, and not as a spokesman for the GOP.
One woman who attended Tuesday’s forum said she was offended, and another said she felt intimidated, when they saw Reiner, whom they did not know, sitting in the audience, the holstered gun visible on his belt.
“It was there, it was obvious, it was threatening,” said Carol Selsberg of Eliot. Selsberg is the campaign manager for state Rep. Roberta Beavers, D-South Berwick. Selsberg said she believes in the Constitution but said, “What did he feel about the rest of our rights to feel safe around his gun? I’m all for the Second Amendment, but you’re bringing a gun into the library.”
She said she would be calling Kittery and Eliot Police Chief Theodor Short to see if an officer would attend Wednesday’s candidates’ night in Kittery in case Reiner attends that event.
“I’m calling to make sure somebody’s there to protect the rest of us,” Selsberg said. “I was sitting with a whole group for people all feeling uncomfortable.”
Short could not be reached for comment.
Victoria Simon, of York, who attended the forum said she felt intimidated.
“It changes the conversation entirely to have a gun in the room,” said Simon, who is active in the local Democratic party.
York Public Library Director Robert Waldman said that because of concerns brought to him about the incident, he would be discussing the issue with the board of directors at its next meeting on Oct. 9.
“It’s probably important to security and safety to put in place policy regarding firearms,” Waldman said. While he doesn’t want to speak for the board, that policy would likely be to ban weapons in the library, he said.
Waldman said he’s spoken to York Police Chief Doug Bracy, who has indicated that such a policy could be enforced by a public/private organization, even though the law allows for open carry.
Bracy could not be reached for comment.
The Kittery forum, sponsored by the Portsmouth Herald, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8, at Kittery Town Hall.
Reiner said Friday he did not yet know if he would be attending.