Days after a rumored plan to return to Congress, former lawmaker Madison Cawthorn was arrested at his Florida home after reportedly failing to show up in court over a traffic citation.
The former Republican North Carolina congressman, who has been living in Cape Coral, was arrested Wednesday morning by Lee County deputies after he did not appear at an 8:30 am court hearing in Collier County stemming from an August 19 traffic stop in Naples.
“Former Congressman, Madison Cawthorn, was arrested earlier today for failure to appear for a routine traffic infraction. Madison keeps a very busy schedule and, due to a scheduling misunderstanding, did not appear in court this morning. Following processing, Madison was immediately released,” read a statement from Cawthorn that was shared with Gulf Coast News.
(Video Credit: Gulf Coast News)
The Collier County Clerk of Courts issued the out-of-county warrant after the 28-year-old Republican missed the court appearance in which he faced arraignment after Naples Police cited him for driving without a valid license last month. Cawthorn was booked and released on a $2,000 bond.
The former lawmaker, who has been partially paralyzed since a car accident at the age of 18, lost his election in 2022 in North Carolina after a scandal-ridden term in office. But he was rumored to be contemplating a political comeback.
Axios reported earlier this month that Cawthorn, who once claimed Republicans in Congress snorted cocaine and invited him to orgies, met with GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss a run for Florida’s 19th Congressional District seat, which will be up for grabs with Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) running for governor.
“Donalds told Axios that Cawthorn approached him about his bid, but he didn’t commit to backing him yet,” the outlet reported.
“He was 25 years old when he came to Congress. Everybody has an opportunity to grow and mature.” Donalds said.
Cawthorn’s arrest on Wednesday was not his first run-in with Florida authorities, as he reportedly was involved in a crash last year in Collier County in what is known as Alligator Alley.
Cawthorn’s black Mercedes reportedly slammed into the back of a Florida State Trooper’s vehicle, which was parked at a construction zone.
“Despite causing an estimated $30,000 worth of damage, Cawthorn received a $133 ticket for the incident,” Gulf Coast News reported at the time. “The trooper involved reportedly sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital. Cawthorn was cited for violating the move-over law.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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