Republican congresswoman charged with bringing gun to Virginia airport

A Republican congresswoman has been charged with bringing a gun to an airport outside Washington D.C.

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana is facing weapons violation charges after carrying her handgun into Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

"Victoria Spartz, 45, of Noblesville, IN, was charged on Friday, June 28 with a weapons violation at Dulles Airport," a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said Tuesday. 

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The gun, a .380 caliber handgun, was detected inside Spartz's carry-on bag during a Transportation Security Administration search. 

The gun was reportedly unloaded and Spartz claims to have packed it into her luggage by accident. 

"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 statement from Spartz's office said. 

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It continued, "Rep. Spartz was issued a citation and proceeded on her international flight to the [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly] meeting in Europe."

Spartz is a Ukrainian-born immigrant who won her seat in Indiana's 5th Congressional District in 2021. 

She announced last year that she would not be seeking reelection and would not be seeking any public office at the end of her term.

She walked that back in February and re-entered the race, successfully defending against multiple GOP primary challengers.

She won the GOP primary for her district in May, securing her spot in the general election this November.