I Wish I Loved Anything As Much As Madison Cawthorn Loves Smuggling Guns at Airports

Can't stop, won't stop...but probably should stop

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Ahhh, to be Madison Cawthorn: young, dumb, and full of complete disregard for aviation safety rules.

For the second time in less than a year, the Republican Congressman and credibly accused sexual predator has been busted for trying to bring a handgun through airport security, with local news outlet WSOC reporting that Cawthorn was cited on Tuesday after he was caught passing a loaded Staccato C2 handgun through a TSA checkpoint at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. This comes just eight months after Cawthorn was detained at Asheville Regional Airport for packing a Glock 9MM and fully loaded magazine in his carry on luggage.

Fool me once, etc etc. You know how it goes.

After his first bust, a Cawthorn spokesperson attempted to explain away the congressman’s oopsie-doodle, saying he’d simply “erroneously stowed a firearm in his carry-on (that often doubles as a range bag) instead of his checked bag.”

"Rep. Cawthorn endeavors to always follow TSA guidelines, and quickly rectified this situation before boarding his flight,” the spokesperson continued.

Seems like he probably needs to endeavor a little bit harder, given that getting busted for carrying a piece onto a flight is the sort of thing that would make a normal, not-insane person pretty damn vigilant about ensuring that never ever happens again. But Cawthorn is not a normal, not-insane person, is he? While you and I are busy pouring shampoo into those little TSA-compliant bottles they sell in the “travel” section at Target, here comes Mr. “one time I saw someone do a bunch of coke, but actually maybe not, aw shucks!” just shoving a dang arsenal into whichever roller-bag is closest and hoping it’ll all end up alright.

The thing is, Cawthorn loves carrying weapons exactly where they’re not allowed to be. He loves it. When he’s not trying to bring guns on airplanes, he’s packing heat at work and smuggling tactical knives into school board meetings. What’s he so afraid of exactly — trees?

Anyway, probably shouldn’t let this guy onto airplanes — or, y’know, anywhere, really — for a while, until he figures some shit out for himself.