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Lawmakers Visit Theme Parks and Casinos During DHS Shutdown
Senator Lindsey Graham clarified that a bubble wand he carried at Disney World was for a friend's girl, not himself, during a partial government shutdown. The trip occurred amid a funding impasse for the Department of Homeland Security, now over 70 days long. Lawmakers face low approval ratings as Congress prepares for another break.
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Senator Lindsey Graham addressed photos showing him with a bubble wand at Disney World, stating he did not buy it for himself but purchased it for a friend's girl. The South Carolina Republican spoke to TMZ in a video shared Wednesday, explaining the item's purpose after being seen carrying it through Magic Kingdom.
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Graham's personal trip to the Florida theme park late last month coincided with a partial government shutdown that has dragged on for more than 70 days.
Photos published by TMZ captured Graham dining at Chef Mickey’s, standing in line for Space Mountain, and walking with the bubble wand. He described traveling to South Florida for a meeting with Trump administration officials before heading to Orlando to catch up with friends. Graham emphasized that he voted seven times to fully fund the government.
The shutdown stems from funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsing on February 14. Democratic lawmakers have refused to pass a spending bill funding the entire department until reforms are made to its immigration arm, including operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
U.S. Citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in the streets of Minneapolis. Graham's Disney World visit occurred during a two-week recess, as lawmakers remained at an impasse over the funding. He was not the only lawmaker spotted enjoying downtime; photos released by TMZ showed Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas casino.
