TMZ Has Capitol Hill Lawmakers Running Scared
Chaos on Capitol Hill is reaching a fever pitch—and now even celebrity gossip outlet TMZ is stepping into the political arena, a move that underscores the growing scrutiny facing lawmakers in Washington.
During an appearance on The Todd Starnes Show, chief Republican strategist Josh Jones reacted to the news that TMZ has launched a Washington, D.C., bureau aimed at covering the “drama side” of politics, suggesting the outlet’s presence could have a significant impact.
“And I don’t know if you saw… TMZ actually launched a DC bureau this past week where they’re going to start reporting more so on the drama side of politics,” Jones said. “Which at first I was like, okay, I don’t really know if this is needed, but on this kind of stuff, when they’re reporting on this, absolutely.”
The development comes as multiple lawmakers face mounting controversies, with Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales both under fire. Host Todd Starnes did not mince words about the situation, arguing that misconduct has no place in government.
“If you are going to be targeting and if you’re a predator, you’ve got no business being anywhere near Capitol Hill,” Starnes said.
Jones agreed, calling the situation deeply troubling and suggesting the problem may be more widespread than currently known.
“It’s a pretty low bar… some of these people… let’s be clear, they’re not the only ones,” he said. “If there’s a few bad apples, there’s probably some more. It’s absolutely disgusting that these type of people are in Congress.”
Jones added that increased media attention—even from unconventional outlets like TMZ—could serve as a form of accountability.
“So I’m glad they’re resigning, glad they are getting out of Congress,” he said, while noting that not all lawmakers should be painted with the same brush. “That doesn’t mean all members of Congress are bad, there’s just some bad apples up there that need to be getting out of office.”
Starnes suggested TMZ’s entrance into the political sphere could rattle Washington insiders.
“I have no doubt that TMZ has put the fear of God in a lot of these lawmakers up there,” he said, pointing to a long history of scandals in American politics.
Jones echoed that sentiment, referencing past presidential controversies as evidence that misconduct in Washington is nothing new.
With TMZ now poised to shine a spotlight on Capitol Hill, the line between political reporting and tabloid-style coverage may be blurring—potentially ushering in a new era of scrutiny for America’s elected officials.