Topline
Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) was cited Tuesday morning for bringing a gun to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to multiple reports, in the latest legal trouble for the freshman congressman.
Key Facts
It's unclear at this point if Cawthorn faces criminal charges, and his office did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes.
This is the second time a gun has been found on Cawthorn at an airport: The Transportation Security Administration discovered a 9mm handgun in his carry-on bag at Asheville Regional Airport in February 2021.
He faces a fine of up to $13,000 from the TSA for a second offense, according to ABC News.
Chief Critic
“Virtually every Monday or Tuesday we start the week out with another embarrassing headline from Madison Cawthorn . . . today is no different," Wendy Nevarez, one of Cawthorn's opponents in the upcoming Republican primary, tweeted. She noted that early voting for the May 17 primary begins this Thursday.
Key Background
Cawthorn has been a lightning rod for controversy recently, much to the chagrin of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Over the past week alone, Cawthorn’s had to address photos showing him drinking and wearing women's lingerie at a party—in sharp contrast to his self-proclaimed traditional Christian values—while a North Carolina judge released dashcam footage showing the congressman being pulled over and cited for driving with a revoked license. Cawthorn was in hot water with GOP leaders last month for claiming D.C. political figures invited him to orgies and snorted cocaine in front of him, comments McCarthy said made him lose trust in Cawthorn. The 26-year-old congressman also irked fellow Republicans last month when video surfaced of him calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug” in charge of an “incredibly evil” government.
Further Reading
Sources: Rep. Madison Cawthorn cited for having a gun at Charlotte Douglas (WSOC-TV)
Rep. Madison Cawthorn tried to board a plane with a gun and loaded magazine in February (Insider)
Rep. Madison Cawthorn Blasts Ukraine’s Zelensky As A ‘Thug’ (Forbes)
'He’s Lost My Trust’: McCarthy Rebukes Cawthorn Over Allegations Of Orgies And Cocaine Use (Forbes)
