TMZ has for years generated controversy and attracted derision for its story gathering tactics, but it's actually earning a little bit of goodwill after asking people to submit photos of members of Congress on vacation during Easter break as the partial government shutdown reaches historic lengths.
Last week, President Donald Trump announced that he would deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports amid a partial government shutdown that has caused exceptionally long delays at TSA lines nationwide.
ICE agents are still getting paid during the shutdown, unlike TSA agents, who are currently working unpaid and struggling amid the affordability crisis. News outlets have confirmed ICE agents have been deployed in airports that serve Democratic strongholds, particularly John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports (New York), O'Hare International Airport (Chicago), and others.
Delays around the country have continued soaring and wait times are expected to spike as more TSA employees call out; more than 500 TSA agents have left their positions since DHS funding lapsed and their payments were paused. Trump directed that TSA workers be paid late last week and the Department of Homeland Security has begun issuing direct deposits.
However, the DHS shutdown is now the longest in history at 45 days and it will stretch on without an agreement between the House and the Senate as lawmakers prepare to leave Washington for Easter break; neither chamber is set to return to Washington until the week of April 13.
Now TMZ has decided that shaming legislators might be a good idea to see some progress in actually ending the shutdown, posting the following announcement:
"We want to talk to anybody in our audience right now, that if anybody goes to Disney World with their family for spring break or goes anywhere on vacation and you see any of the 535 members of Congress, take a picture and send it to us at TMZ."
"We will post that picture on our website, on our social media, and we will put it on our television shows. We want to show what they are doing at your expense and we want everybody to hear that and we are waiting for those pictures."
You can see the video announcement below.
Another announcement on TMZ's website reads:
"As TSA officers are selling their blood to keep a roof over their heads, members of Congress are packing their bags for a 2-week vacation, and WE WANT THE PICS!"
People are all for it despite a general love/hate relationship with the outlet.
We can't wait until someone photographs Ted Cruz on yet another trip to Cancún.
