NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — After a recent charge for bringing a gun into a D.C. airport terminal, U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz is now arguing Congress members should be allowed to carry guns in the nation's capital because they "have no security" in a "very dangerous place" with "not good people."
Spartz, the Republican U.S. Representative from Indiana’s fifth district who is currently running for reelection, made a stop Thursday morning in Noblesville as part of a fiscal town hall tour.
After the event, Spartz spoke with FOX59/CBS4 about her recent comments regarding crime in D.C. and whether or not members of Congress should be allowed to openly carry firearms.
In her response, Spartz said that "maybe we should consider" allowing D.C. leaders to carry guns due to a lack of security for lawmakers and rising "lawlessness" in Washington and surrounding areas. A video of the following exchange can be seen above.
FOX59/CBS4: "Recently you said that Congresspeople everywhere should carry guns, especially in Virginia. Can you explain that?"
Rep. Spartz: "Listen, one of my staff members actually had a gun pointed [at them] and was robbed just a few weeks ago. So I think it is a very dangerous place. People don't even realize that we have no security. The leadership of the House has no security. Unfortunately, Washington, D.C. is not a place that it used to be. Even in the last few years, the lawlessness is unbelievable. And I think that's something that maybe we should consider to do it."
Spartz went on to say that "we cannot afford to have security for every Congress member" but that they should still be able to protect themselves in D.C.
"That is something you have to be able to do - protect yourself," Spartz said. "And we have a lot of not good people including people from foreign countries that could be up to no good. Not just people upset or people that are thieves but actually some adversaries that could do bad things to us."
Spartz concluded her statements by saying that making different gun laws for Congress members is "maybe a discussion for us to have."
The U.S. Rep's comments come after she was charged last month in Virginia with bringing a handgun into a terminal at Dulles International Airport.
According to TSA, officers found an unloaded .380 caliber firearm in Spartz’s carry-on bag during a screening on June 28. The airport then took possession of the gun and Spartz was officially charged on July 11 with carrying a weapon in an airport terminal, a Class 1 Misdemeanor.
An arraignment hearing for Spartz is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 20 in Loudoun General District Court. A Class 1 Misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
In a statement from Spartz’s team in early July, officials said that she “accidentally carried an empty handgun in her suitcase” while going through security at the airport. The team said that she was “issued a citation” and went on her flight.
Spartz, a 45-year-old Noblesville resident, has served two terms in Congress. She recently won a nomination for a third term after beating out nine other GOP candidates in May.
The first and only Ukrainian-born House member, Spartz initially planned to leave Congress last year, opting against reelection to her House seat and forgoing a chance to seek the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Mike Braun.
She later changed her mind and announced a reelection campaign. Voting for the fifth district seat will take place in November, with Spartz going up against Democratic candidate Deborah Pickett.