Congressman David Madison Cawthorn Tries to Take a Gun on Plane

SPRUCE PINE, NC – July 29, 2021

FireMadison.com has learned from a TSA recording provided by the Asheville Regional Airport Authority in response to an American Muckrakers PAC Freedom of Information Act request that Representative David Madison Cawthorn tried to bring a Glock handgun through the airport and onto an airplane in Asheville, North Carolina, on February 13, 2021.

Audio recordings of law enforcement at the airport confirm that Cawthorn attempted to bring the gun through security with only minutes remaining before the flight (“…seven minutes until his flight…”) but that TSA staff detected the gun and detained him. Airport police then questioned him, secured the gun, and wrote a report.

Remarkably, Cawthorn was not charged with any illegal activity despite the fact that bringing a gun even just into an airport carries fines of up to $10,000. The TSA website states that, “Loaded firearms (or unloaded firearms with accessible ammunition) carry fines of $3,000 - $10,000 and a criminal referral and fines from $10,000 - $13,910 plus criminal referral for repeat violations. Cawthorn’s gun was not secured in his checked luggage as allowed by law.

David B. Wheeler, President of FireMadison.com, said the following:

"This is a serious violation of the law and has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment. A Member of the U.S. House of Representatives wanted to bring a Glock firearm onto a commercial airplane. Just who does Cawthorn think he is?

If you or I brought a loaded gun to the airport we would be arrested, fined $10,000, and end up in front of a judge to answer for our illegal activity.

I’ll bet anyone a cup of coffee that in response Cawthorn will claim to be the victim and he’ll say, “I forgot”, and then spout lies about the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment does not give him the right to bring a loaded Glock onto an airplane and he knows it. Also, if Cawthorn did forget, why is it that this has apparently happened more than once at the AVL Airport?

This is just one more example of why Madison Cawthorn is not worthy of the office he holds. I hope everyone will work with us to Fire Madison Cawthorn.”

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