TMZ tracks US lawmakers vacationing amid the partial government shutdown

The Guardian • March 31, 2026 • nation

Key Points:

During the seventh week of the US partial government shutdown, Senator Lindsey Graham was photographed vacationing at Disney World, drawing public criticism and media attention from outlets like TMZ.
TMZ has intensified its political coverage by actively seeking and publishing photos and reports of lawmakers' activities during the shutdown, highlighting perceived contrasts between Congress members' leisure and unpaid federal workers' struggles.
The outlet's bipartisan approach has featured both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, such as Ted Cruz and Seth Magaziner, engaging in leisure activities while thousands of federal employees remain unpaid.
TMZ's founder, Harvey Levin, stated the increased political coverage aims to expose how Congress members have "betrayed" federal workers affected by the shutdown, using platforms to juxtapose lawmakers' behavior against workers' hardships.
TMZ has established a dedicated Capitol Hill team for interviews and coverage, gaining significant social media traction, with shutdown-related posts, like Graham's Disney photos, receiving millions of views and sparking public debate.

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