Webb Holds Conference on Aide's Arrest

WEBB: I didn't know this many people were really that interested in Iran.

(LAUGHTER)

I would like to take a few minutes and talk about three different things. The first is that we do have an amendment on Iran coming up over the next couple of days. It's something that I have worked on for a good bit of time. I hope, in all of the attention that's been given to the situation with my staffer, we don't lose sight of the importance of that legislation.

And secondly, the other piece of legislation that I have been working on with Senator Hagel, which will come to a vote over the next two days. I think those are both important pieces of legislation and, please, let's not forget that.

I find what has happened with Phillip Thompson is enormously unfortunate. I was in New Orleans from last Friday until yesterday evening. I was not in town. I learned about this when I was in New Orleans.

I want to emphasize, first of all, that Phillip Thompson is a long-time friend. He's a fine individual. He has worked for me since the beginning of the campaign last year. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.

I think this is one of those very unfortunate situations where, completely inadvertently, he took the weapon into the Senate yesterday.

He is going to be arraigned today. This limits my ability to discuss anything about the case in a specific way. I do not in any way want to prejudice his case, in the situation that he's involved in.

WEBB: The other thing that I would say is that everyone here knows that I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, that I have had a permit to carry a weapon in Virginia for a long time, and I believe that it's important -- it's important for me, personally, and for a lot of people in the situation that I'm in, to be able to defend myself and my family.

Since 9/11 for people who are in government I think in general there has been an agreement that it's a more dangerous time.

Again, I'm not going to comment, again, with great specificity about how I defend myself, but I do feel that I have that right.

And if you look at people in the executive branch, look at the number of people who are defending the president and other members of the executive branch, there is not that kind of protection available to people in the legislative branch. We are required to defend ourselves, and I choose to do so.