Ex-Rep. Madison Cawthorn pleads guilty to bringing loaded gun to airport

Former Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) pleaded guilty on Friday to bringing a loaded gun through airport security at Charlotte Douglas International Airport last year.

Cawthorn pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for having immediate access to a dangerous weapon on city property and was fined $250, his lawyer Missy Owens said.

“Mr. Cawthorn accepted responsibility for this mistake,” Owens added. “Law enforcement noted his cooperative attitude at every step. He chose to resolve this case in a manner that would ensure his uninterrupted right to possess a firearm. He remains staunchly committed to responsible gun ownership.”

The Staccato 9 mm handgun, which was detected at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint last April, will be returned to Cawthorn.

The former congressman previously brought an unloaded gun through security at the Asheville Regional Airport in February 2021 but was not charged in the incident.

Cawthorn lost his primary last May to then-state Sen. Chuck Edwards, who would go on to win the general election in the western North Carolina district.