![Rep. Victoria Spartz charged with weapons violation at Dulles Airport](https://i3.wp.com/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-07/240701-Victoria-Spartz-ac-518p-3a05e3.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., has been charged with weapons violation at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority showed to NBC News on Monday.
The spokesperson, who mentioned the congresswoman was once charged on Friday, cited a section of Virginia state law tied to the harmful use of firearms or different weapons, which makes it a criminal offense to “possess or delivery” a gun or a variety of other dangerous weapons “into any air provider airport terminal.” The statute classifies the violation as a misdemeanor.
NBC News has reached out to Spartz’s office for comment.
Spartz, who is the first Ukrainian-born immigrant to serve in Congress, is seeking re-election in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, which includes suburbs north of Indianapolis and is rated solidly Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. She won her primary in May, defeating a challenger who took aim at her support of Ukraine aid and other issues.
Spartz is not the first lawmaker in recent years to face a violation tied to possessing a weapon at an airport.
Then-Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., was cited in 2022 for having a loaded handgun at a security checkpoint at an airport in his home state. He had been stopped twice with a firearm at an airport during his two years in office. Cawthorn lost his primary in 2022.