Spartz charged after bringing firearm to Dulles airport

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) has officially been charged in Virginia after bringing a handgun to the Dulles International Airport late last month.

Spartz has been charged with carrying a weapon in an airport terminal, according to an update posted to the Loudoun General District Court docket on Thursday. The charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor in the state, which can carry a sentence up to one year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine.

Her office confirmed earlier this month that the congresswoman “accidentally” brought the gun to the airport.

“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. Rep. Spartz was issued a citation and proceeded on her international flight to the OSCE PA meeting in Europe,” Spartz’s office said in a statement on July 1.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said that it detected a .380 caliber firearm during passenger security screening June 28. The agency said in a statement at the time that the firearm was unloaded but did not identify the passenger.

The TSA revealed in January that its officers seized a record 6,737 firearms in 2023.

The congresswoman’s arraignment will be Sept. 20 at 8:30 a.m. in Loudoun General District Court, according to the court docket.

Spartz won the GOP nomination for reelection in May after reversing course earlier this year on her decision to retire at the end of her term. She was first sworn into Congress in 2021.

The Hill has reached out to Spartz’s office for comment.