Representative of the US Republican Party Victoria Spartz has been charged with violating the rules of carrying weapons after she carried a gun into Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. UNN reports with reference to The Hill.
Details
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives of Ukrainian descent, Victoria Spartz, is accused of carrying a firearm through airport security.
The incident occurred on Friday, the Washington Airports Authority, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Spartz's office confirmed to The Hill on Monday.
Employees of Dulles Airport found a .380-caliber firearm during passenger screening, the post says.
In a statement, Spartz's office said that she mistakenly carried an unloaded handgun in the pocket of her suitcase while going through security on her way to a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
The charge carries up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine if convicted.
A congresswoman from central Indiana, she won a controversial and competitive primary in May after announcing she would not run again in 2023.
Spartz is the first congresswoman to be born in Ukraine. However, she recently voted against sending military aid to the country, marking a reversal of her position when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Recall
The U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Commission has conducted a preliminary investigation into the treatment of House member Victoria Spartz by staff in response to numerous complaints.