Republican lawmaker charged with 'weapons violation' at DC airport
- Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., was charged for having a gun in her bag
- The gun was discovered while she passed through airport security on Friday
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Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz has been charged with a gun violation at an airport serving the Washington, D.C. area.
A Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com that the Indiana Republican was charged with a violation on Friday while traveling through Dulles International Airport.
'Victoria Spartz, 45, of Noblesville, IN, was charged on Friday, June 28 with a weapons violation at Dulles Airport,' the spokesperson disclosed.
The airport is roughly 30 miles west of DC in Dulles, Virginia.
Specifically, Spartz was caught with a gun while trying to pass through airport security, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., was charged with a weapon violation at Washington Dulles International Airport on Friday
'On Friday, June 28, TSA officers at [Dulles] detected a .380 caliber firearm during passenger security screening,' an agency spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
'The firearm was unloaded and in the individual's carry-on bag.'
The violation is a misdemeanor, according to Virginia legal code.
'Last Friday, Rep. Spartz accidentally carried an empty handgun in her suitcase with no magazine or bullets, which she did not realize was in the pocket of her suitcase, while going through security at Dulles airport,' a spokesperson for her office told DailyMail.com.
'Rep. Spartz was issued a citation and proceeded on her international flight to the OSCE PA meeting in Europe.'
The Ukraine-born lawmaker has represented Indiana's 5th Congressional District since 2021.
She has gained popularity in recent years for being an outspoken voice against funding the Ukraine-Russia war.
She was also endorsed by the conservative National Rifle Association (NRA) in April.
Earlier this month, the lawmaker again made waves after former members of her congressional staff named her the worst boss on Capitol Hill.
Spartz posted on April 1, 2024 she was proud to receive the endorsement from the National Rifle Association (NRA)
Spartz was discovered with an unloaded .380 caliber firearm in her carry-on baggage, a spokesperson for TSA said
Dulles is the main international airport serving the Washington, D.C. area
Spartz's former staffers have made explosive claims she was 'manic' and 'abusive' and would throw furniture at aides.
The hot-tempered Ukrainian-born Indiana lawmaker has been named the 'worst boss' on Capitol Hill and her conduct is now at the center of an ethics complaint.
Her office has been a revolving door of staffers who think they are 'tough' enough to handle it, only to head for the exits shortly after.
One source said that Spartz had 'thrown shoes' at her district staff, and 'blew up' at them in front of constituents on multiple occasions.
Ethics staffers have been in contact with former Spartz aides about the complaint, DailyMail.com has confirmed, but it's not clear at what stage their probe is. Politico first reported the committee had made 'preliminary inquiries' into complaints about her behavior.
The committee would typically notify a member if they are under a formal investigation, and Spartz says she has not been notified.
Spartz's office has the highest turnover of any House member, according to a Legistorm 'worst bosses' tally that tracks turnover from 2001 to 2023
One former staffer described her behavior to DailyMail.com as 'manic' and 'verbally abrasive, if not borderline abusive.'
Spartz's office has the highest turnover of any House member, according to a Legistorm 'worst bosses' tally that tracks turnover from 2001 to 2023.
