Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz Charged With Trying To Carry A Hand Gun On An International Flight

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Indiana) was charged with weapons violation at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

On July 1, Spartz’s charge was confirmed by a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesperson.

The spokesperson also stated that she was charged on June 28, citing Section § 18.2-287.01 of Virginia law, Carrying a Weapon in an Air Carrier Airport Terminal.

The section states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to possess or transport into any air carrier airport terminal in the Commonwealth any (i) gun or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile or projectile of any kind, (ii) frame, receiver, muffler, silencer, missile, projectile or ammunition designed for use with a dangerous weapon, and (iii) any other dangerous weapon, including explosives, stun weapons as defined in § 18.2-308.1, and those weapons specified in subsection A of § 18.2-308.”

“Any such weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer,” it adds. “A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any weapon possessed or transported in violation of this section shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 19.2-386.28.”

A spokesperson for the Indiana representative said that a citation had been issued prior to her international flight to Romania for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

“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,” the spokesperson declared in a statement.

The Metropolitan Airports Authority spokesperson stated that Spartz was given a summons to appear in a Virginia court. 

A Transportation Security Administration spokesperson said: “TSA officers at IAD detected a .380 caliber firearm during passenger security screening. The firearm was unloaded and in the individual’s carry-on bag.”

Spartz is the first Ukrainian-born immigrant to serve in Congress. She is running for reelection 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, beating a challenger who targeted her support of Ukraine aid and other issues.

In July 2022, Spartz inspired criticism from her Republican colleagues over her condemnation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

At the time, she accused Zelensky of “playing politics,” saying he must “start governing to better support his military and local governments.” She then criticized his response to the war, stating that he also behaves as if there is no war and that he does not comprehend that he had “the biggest war after the Second World War.”