Plane with Congressmen Diverted Over Disruptive Passenger

A plane carrying four members of Congress to Washington, DC, to vote on ending the government shutdown was diverted due to a “disruptive passenger” who later declared to fellow flyers, “We live in a fascist state.”

Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) posted on X on Tuesday that the American Airlines flight carrying him along with three Republicans from the Grand Canyon State — Reps. Eli Crane, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar — was forced to make an “emergency stop in Kansas City” after an unruly passenger caused a disturbance following takeoff from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

A video posted by another passenger on the flight after the emergency landing shows Kansas City police officers boarding the Airbus A320 and escorting an unidentified woman off the plane.

As police led the passenger off the plane, she is heard apologizing to her fellow flyers and offering a parting message.

While it’s unknown what disturbance the unhinged passenger caused that forced the flight to make an emergency landing, American Airlines confirmed it was due to the actions of “a disruptive customer.”

The House voted 222-209 to pass the Senate’s funding bill, which will restart paychecks for federal employees and air traffic controllers and replenish funding for food assistance programs.