It’s often said that Washington, D.C., is Hollywood for ugly people. Well, Congress is finally getting the Hollywood treatment it has been longing for.
While lawmakers are on spring break, the entertainment news outlet TMZ has joined the scrum that is covering news on Capitol Hill.
As members of Congress left Washington, D.C., for a two-weeklong recess without reopening the Department of Homeland Security, some got the full TMZ celebrity treatment.
From Bubble Wands to the Betting Tables
TMZ lit the internet on fire when it obtained videos capturing national politicians “living it up” on spring break.
It started with a video of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at Disney World, carrying a bubble wand in the princess castle and taking a ride on Space Mountain. Graham told TMZ he was there visiting friends. “I voted seven times to fully fund the government. Call a Democrat,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., was spotted sitting at a casino bar in Las Vegas.
While the internet blew it up, Garcia responded to the backlash. “Actually, I don’t mind what TMZ is doing here,” he wrote, explaining that he had just finished lunch with his dad, who has lived in Las Vegas for 15 years. “Like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should have never sent us all home,” he concluded.
The next targets of the TMZ “paparazzi” were members of the Republican Main Street Caucus on a CODEL in Scotland. Usually, CODELs are canceled during government shutdowns, but a spokesperson for Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., shared that 30 members and staff flew to Scotland on a pre-approved trip to discuss economic development and foreign partnerships with Parliament.
Politico reported that Hill staffers are “stoked” about TMZ bringing a new audience to the Hill.
“I think a lot of offices, particularly ones who aren’t in major media markets, are in for a rude awakening,” an anonymous staffer told Politico. “My attitude is any new press that forces members to be sharper and for comms staffers to be more nimble is a good thing,” the staffer continued.
Many members fight tooth and nail to avoid press on and off the Hill. Others do everything they can to be seen. Regardless, the paparazzi-style news coverage is sure to shake things up in the swamp.