!! OMG, bubble wands and Pope feuds: TMZ’s new D.C. bureau is already making lawmakers squirm !!

TMZ is making its presence felt on Capitol Hill. The celebrity news outlet recently opened a D.C. bureau aimed at scrutinizing lawmaker behavior, and it’s already ruffling feathers.

On Monday, the outlet shared footage of Senator Lindsey Graham dodging a question about a bubble wand he was spotted holding during a Disney World visit over the congressional recess 2 week break. Graham responded by putting his hand over the camera and walking away without a word.

Senator Ted Cruz got a similarly pointed ambush, with a TMZ producer asking whether he sided with the Pope or President Trump amid the president’s public clash with Pope Leo XIV over the Middle East conflict. Cruz deflected, insisting both leaders “speak for themselves” and refusing to engage further despite repeated follow-ups. The encounters are early examples of what founder Harvey Levin has described as the bureau’s mission: highlighting where politics and pop culture collide. LOLs. This should be good.