Sebastian Gorka, a former Breitbart national security editor who now is a deputy assistant to the president, did not appear at the brief court proceeding Friday. | POLITICO Screen grab Judge dismisses weapons charge against White House aide

A judge has dismissed a misdemeanor charge a senior White House aide was facing for bringing a handgun to a security checkpoint at Reagan National Airport a year ago.

Sebastian Gorka, a former Breitbart national security editor who now is a deputy assistant to the president, did not appear at the brief court proceeding Friday morning in Arlington County Circuit Court.


Gorka’s attorney, Christopher Oprison, and a prosecutor appeared before Circuit Court Judge William Newman, who dismissed the case under an arrangement that left Gorka with no conviction after he stayed out of trouble with the law for six months.

Court records show that last August, Gorka entered an Alford Plea, in which the defendant concedes enough evidence to convict but does not admit guilt.

“Dr. Gorka made a mistake. He started carrying a licensed, concealed weapon after he got death threats against his family,” Oprison told reporters after the hearing.

Transportation Security Administration screeners found the gun in Gorka’s carry-on bag when he was preparing to board a flight at National bound for Florida in January 2016. Oprison said Gorka simply forgot it was there.

”He regrets that mistake. Dr Gorka wants to put this matter behind him and get back to the very important national security work he’s doing,” the attorney said.

Asked whether the matter affected Gorka’s security clearance, Oprison said: “He’s at the NSC right now.”