Chicago - A veteran Illinois state senator charged with trying to board a flight with a gun and ammunition in his carry-on bag says he's the right person to fill Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat in Congress.
State Sen. Donne Trotter appeared in Cook County court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday. He didn't enter a plea, and the judge set the next hearing for Jan. 17.
Trotter and his attorney, Tom Durkin, spoke to reporters after the hearing.
Durkin admits the case puts a "cloud" over Trotter's campaign. But he says Trotter didn't knowingly carry the gun to O'Hare International Airport and it's a mistake other travelers have made.
The 62-year-old Democrat is charged with a Class 4 felony, which carries a sentence of one to three years in prison if he's convicted.
