It’s pretty easy to get lost in the dark, twisted maze that is the basement of the Capitol. Even Members of Congress sometimes lose their way — and wind up in places they aren’t supposed to be.

Take what happened Wednesday morning, when House Republicans met for their weekly Conference meeting in the basement. At one point, a spy situated outside the GOP’s meeting room watched House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy walk straight into a nearby restroom.

The women’s restroom, that is.

It seems the California lawmaker — who probably wasn’t having a good morning, considering Republicans unexpectedly lost a vote to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act the night before — quickly realized his error. Our spy says he bolted out.

But McCarthy wasn’t the only Member to lose his way Wednesday morning, as our spy also saw Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) walk into the Republican meeting. It’s an easy mistake to make, considering Democrats met in the same room for their weekly Caucus meetings until Republicans took over the majority last month.

Like McCarthy, Maloney also quickly realized her error and darted out of the room. “You should have seen the looks on their faces,” she joked as she walked out, our spy says.

“I thought we were all about bipartisanship!” Maloney spokesman Jon Houston jokes in an e-mail to HOH.

Maybe it’s time for improved signage in the Capitol basement…