At Charlotte Douglas International Airport last year, former representative Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) reportedly admitted to taking a loaded firearm through airport security.
According to his attorney Missy Owens, Cawthorn entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of having immediate access to a dangerous weapon on public grounds and was fined $250.
The Staccato 9 mm pistol that was discovered at a TSA checkpoint in April of last year will be sent back to Cawthorn.
In February 2021, the former congressman attempted to pass a loaded pistol through security at the Asheville Regional Airport, but he was not prosecuted.
In 2020, Cawthorn ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s 11th congressional district.
Cawthorn has also been a controversial figure, with critics questioning his qualifications for office and his statements on a variety of issues. He has been accused of embellishing his personal biography, including his claims about being a successful businessman and an athlete who was “training” for the Paralympic Games before a car accident left him partially paralyzed.
Cawthorn has also faced criticism for his comments on social media and in public appearances, including his use of inflammatory rhetoric and his support for conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election.
Chuck Edwards, a state senator at the time who won the general election in the western North Carolina district, defeated Cawthorn in the primary last May, effectively ending Cawthorn’s political career in the process.
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