Dozens of MAGA Reps Busted Fleeing Country to Sightsee
The group took a trip to Donald Trump’s ancestral homeland as federal workers struggle without pay.
TMZ
A group of MAGA congressmen was busted playing tourist at a famous castle in Scotland as federal workers at home struggle on without pay.
On Tuesday, TMZ reported that Virginia Rep. John McGuire, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden, and North Carolina Rep. David Rouzer were snapped among a gaggle of tourists outside Edinburgh Castle as the government shutdown stretched into its 47th day.
Semafor scooped on Wednesday that the group was from the Main Street Caucus and included “several dozen lawmakers,” including Reps. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Mike Flood of Nebraska and New York representatives Andrew Garbarino and Mike Lawler.
On Sunday, the partial shutdown became the longest in history as it surpassed 44 days. The Senate reached a bipartisan funding deal last week, but House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected it, and House Republicans passed their own version before heading for the exits. TMZ cited two sources who work on Capitol Hill who said the congressmen were taking a tour of the castle.
The shutdown has created chaos at airports, meaning TSA lines have been huge.
Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
TMZ sources initially suggested that the gang of congressmen might have been part of a Congressional Delegation or CODEL, although those trips are usually canceled during a shutdown. If it were a CODEL, the trip was probably paid for using taxpayer money. The Department of Defense often provides aircraft for travel, too, although it’s not clear whether the delegation would have had to pass through a TSA checkpoint manned by unpaid agents.
A source told Semafor that the trip was approved by the Ethics Committee “months ago,” and said it is focused on economic development, foreign partnerships, and business engagement.
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The Main Street Caucus is a group of more than 85 “pragmatic conservatives who get things done,” according to its website. The group claims to be “dedicated to strong, conservative principles related to economic, business, environmental, and national security policy.”
The caucus has been approached for comment.
House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the Senate bill to fund DHS, except ICE and CBP, as a "joke" and said the House would not vote on it.
Leah Millis/Reuters
Van Orden, reached for comment by TMZ, was said to be “none too pleased” at the interruption, and told the publication he was on the trip celebrating a positive diagnosis regarding his wife’s health. In January, he missed votes as she underwent scheduled surgery for a brain cyst.
MS NOW Congress reporter Matt Fuller identified up Greg Murphy and Bill Huizenga.
Murphy represents the 3rd district of North Carolina, while Huizenga represents Michigan’s 4th congressional district. They are both members of the Main Street Caucus.
The 11th-century castle is an extremely popular tourist destination.
Craig Williamson - SNS Group/SNS Group via Getty Images
The Daily Beast contacted all of them for comment.
TMZ put out a call last week as lawmakers left Congress. “TMZ is on the hunt for photos of politicians on vacay as TSA officers suffer!” the outlet said in a social media post.
Soon after, it released a series of images of Sen. Lindsey Graham strolling through Disney World in Florida, clutching a Little Mermaid-themed bubble wand. Other photos depicted the South Carolina Republican, who is unmarried and has no children, enjoying brunch at Chef Mickey’s and waiting in line for his turn on the Space Mountain rollercoaster.
Graham insists the magical trip came only after he met with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff for very serious discussions on peace in the Middle East.
Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia was also snapped at a bar in Las Vegas. “Actually, I don’t mind what TMZ is doing here,” Garcia posted in response, adding that he was visiting his father. “Like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should have never sent us all home.”
TMZ also snared Ted Cruz, the Texas senator who infamously took a trip to Cancun in 2021 while his constituents endured a historic cold spell and was sightseeing in Greece when devastating floods killed more than 100 people in 2025.
He was photographed at Fort Lauderdale airport on Tuesday.
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