Lauren Boebert

[[File:Lauren Boebert 117th U.S Congress.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Lauren Boebert]]
{{uspolitics}}
{{cquote|Objecting to the counting of certain electoral votes is NOT “overthrowing” the results of the election if [[Voter fraud|those votes were won through fraud]]. Winning an election through fraud is what I would consider “overthrowing” the results. That is exactly why we’re fighting for POTUS!<ref group=note>This claim about election fraud is widely disputed, including by many court rulings.</ref>|||a tweet from Lauren Boebert<ref> [https://archive.is/20210303041850/https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1343330664473616385 "Objecting to the counting of certain electoral votes is NOT “overthrowing” the results of the election if those votes were won through fraud. Winning an election through fraud is what I would consider “overthrowing” the results. That is exactly why we’re fighting for POTUS!"] - Lauren Boebert on Twitter (2:59 PM on December 27, 2020). Archived.</ref>}}

'''Lauren Opal Boebert''' {{lived|1986}} is an [[United States|American]] high-school dropout who only just got her GED (high school equivalency degree) in May 2020 (''after'' she began running for office),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201125011532/https://www.coloradopols.com/diary/146439/just-how-unqualified-is-lauren-boebert-really Just How Unqualified Is Lauren Boebert, Really?] (18 Sep. 2020) Colorado Pols 18 Sep. 2020 (archived from November 25, 2020).</ref> [[QAnon]] nut,<ref>Alex Kaplan,[https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/here-are-qanon-supporters-running-congress-2020 Here are the QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2020], MediaMatters.org 7 Jan. 2021</ref> and Representative for [[Colorado]]'s 3rd district, which comprises much of the {{wpl|Colorado Western Slope||.}} If [[Marjorie Taylor Greene]] is your [[Conspiracy theory|conspiratorial]] aunt, then Boebert is your [[gun nut]] aunt (which one is crazier is up for debate). The election of these two in 2020, as well as [[Louie Gohmert]] joining the fun the year after, sadly means that QAnon is better represented in the House of Representatives than [[irreligion|openly nonreligious people]], of which there is only {{wpl|Jared Huffman|one|.}}

==Before Congress==
===Rap sheet===
Despite being supposedly a pro-"law and order" candidate who opposes [[Black Lives Matter]],<ref>Madeleine Schmidt, [https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2020/07/congressional-candidate-boebert-claims-blm-protesters-were-paid-and-bussed-in-at-rally-in-rifle/26806/ Congressional Candidate Boebert Claims BLM Protesters Were “Paid and Bussed In” at Rally in Rifle], Colorado Times Recorder 16 Jul. 2020</ref> she has quite a long list of crimes. She has been arrested and court summoned at least four times, one for alleged harassment, another for an altercation with [[police]], a third for missing a court deadline, and a fourth for reckless driving.<ref>Justin Wingerter, [https://www.denverpost.com/2020/08/27/lauren-boebert-arrests-colorado-3rd-mitsch-bush/ Congressional candidate Lauren Boebert has a history of minor arrests, court no-shows], Denver Post 27 Aug. 2020</ref> She has also been fined for a number of speeding incidents, failures to use seat belts or child restraints, and more petty things like expired plates and improper proof of insurance.<ref>[https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f4b155ca23dbb3ab868b37d/t/5f7527900df493541c537a83/1601513362385/LB+Rapsheet+Full.pdf Lauren Boebert Full Rapsheet], Rural Colorado United</ref> Her husband was also arrested for indecent exposure to a minor in 2004, and days later would be arrested for [[domestic violence]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://coloradonewsline.com/2021/03/08/inconsistencies-in-rep-boeberts-accounts-of-volunteer-work-arrest-history-revealed-in-county-records/|title=Inconsistencies in Rep. Boebert’s accounts of volunteer work, arrest history revealed in county records|last=Woodruff|first=Chase|date=March 8, 2021|publisher=''Colorado Newsline''}}</ref> she would marry him a year and a half later. She apparently doesn't have adequate responsibility to drive a car or show up to court when ordered; would you want someone like this open-carrying near you?

===How she became a gun nut===
Boebert has frequently told variations on a story during and after her campaign about why she decided to open carry a gun at her restaurant in Rifle, Colorado. The stories have either claimed that either that a man was beaten to death outside her restaurant (Shooter's Grill) or that there was a violent incident outside her restaurant. The reality is that two men got in a fight over drugs; one of the men (Anthony Green) knocked the other down detaching the downed man's artificial leg. Green then fled the scene and collapsed in front of an abandoned store where he was found dead; the cause of death was ruled [[methamphetamine]] intoxication. The incident did occur in Rifle, but none of it occurred in front of Boebert's restaurant.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/12/lauren-boeberts-tall-tale-about-mans-death-that-led-her-pack-heat/ Lauren Boebert's tall tale about a man's death that led her to pack heat] by Glenn Kessler (March 12, 2021 at 12:00 a.m. PST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Why did Boebert decide to open carry? Perhaps we'll never know.

===Militia connections===
{{main|Militia movement}}
If her criminal history isn't enough, she also has close ties to extremist right wing militia groups. She has hired the [[Three Percenters]], a [[far-right]] anti-government militia operating in the U.S. and [[Canada]] that has been labelled as Canada's "most dangerous extremist group" by anti-terrorism experts,<ref>Kristy Hunter, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/three-percenters-canada-1.4647199 Three Percenters are Canada's 'most dangerous' extremist group, say some experts], CBC 10 Mar. 2018</ref> as security for her campaign events.<ref>Erik Maulbetsch, [https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2020/07/boeberts-campaign-embraces-far-right-militia-movement/27416/ Boebert's Campaign Embraces Far-Right Militia Movement], Colorado Times Recorder 27 Jul. 2020</ref> She also appeared with a group of Three Percenters and [[Proud Boys]] in a protest against red flag laws.<ref>Erik Maulbetsch, [https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2019/12/colorado-legislators-joined-extremist-groups-for-a-we-will-not-comply-rally-against-red-flag-law/20021/ Colorado Legislators Joined Extremist Groups for a “We Will Not Comply” Rally Against Red Flag Law] Colorado Times Recorder 9 Dec. 2019</ref> She was additionally following multiple QAnon accounts (despite her claiming not to "follow" QAnon), which led to her deleting her channel.<ref>Jason Salzman, [https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2020/10/youtube-bans-qanon-accounts-once-followed-by-boebert/31693/ YouTube Bans QAnon Accounts Once Followed by Boebert], Colorado Times Recorder 16 Oct. 2020</ref> and continued to make multiple references to QAnon on the campaign trail.<ref>Erik Maulbetsch, [https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2020/09/boebert-poses-with-sign-linking-her-to-qanon/30759/ Boebert Poses With Sign Linking Her to QAnon], Colorado Times Recorder 22 Sep. 2020</ref>

===COVID denialism===
She has a history of downplaying the severity of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. She kept her restaurant open despite a cease-and-desist letter from the sheriff's office and a later suspension of her restaurant license.<ref>Michael Roberts, [https://www.westword.com/news/covid-19-lauren-boebert-on-refusing-to-close-her-colorado-restaurant-11710129 COVID-19: Lauren Boebert on Challenging Grill Closure Order], Westword 14 May 2020</ref> She largely campaigned off of opposing the [[government]]'s COVID restrictions, advocating an approach similar to [[South Dakota]], where they didn't shut down the state, didn't require masks, and allowed large gatherings at special events such as the {{wpl|Sturgis Motorcycle Rally||.}}<ref>Jennifer Oldham, [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/13/lauren-boebert-congress-409983 The Gun-Toting, Millennial Restaurant Owner Trying to Ride the Covid Backlash to Congress], Politico 13 Sep. 2020</ref> This strategy led South Dakota to have the highest COVID daily death rate in the nation, despite its rural nature, meaning that it shouldn't have been hit as hard as more urban areas such as [[California]].<ref>Don Jorgensen, [https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/south-dakotas-covid-19-death-rate-highest-in-the-nation-according-to-health-professionals/ South Dakota’s COVID-19 death rate highest in the nation according to health professionals], Keloland 21 Dec. 2020</ref> Her campaign rallies were largely maskless super spreader events.

==In Congress==
===Capitol riot===
{{cquote|"Is it true that you were live-tweeting from the floor our location the people on the outside as we were being attacked, Lauren?" — Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Washington

"Umm, yes. Those tweets did go out and that was something that was live and public information. It was broadcast live." — Boebert<BR>

"So don't ask us about security if you're telling the attackers where we're at" — Beutler<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/audio-republican-confronted-lauren-boebert-for-telling-the-attackers-where-were-at-on-jan-6/ar-AAYgIZV?ocid=chromentp Audio: Republican confronted Lauren Boebert for "telling the attackers where we're at" on Jan. 6] by Jon Skolnik (June 9, 2022) ''MSN''.</ref>}}
She was a huge supporter of [[Donald Trump]]'s false claims that he was the real winner of the [[2020 U.S. presidential election]] and that it was "stolen" from him.<ref>Madeleine Schmidt, [http://www.realvail.com/a-history-of-boeberts-ties-to-right-wing-extremist-groups-deadly-conspiracy-theories/a9842/ A history of Boebert’s ties to right-wing extremist groups, deadly conspiracies], Real Vail 12 Jan. 2021</ref> She was an invited speaker in the March for Trump/Save America rally, which directly preceded the [[2021 U.S. Capitol riot]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210101175115/https://wildprotest.com/ President Trump Wants You in DC January 6] Wild Protest</ref> During the riot, she tweeted the location of [[Nancy Pelosi]], which resulted in widespread calls for Boebert to resign.<ref>Shannon Larson, [https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/12/nation/colorado-republican-tweeted-about-pelosis-location-during-capitol-siege-shes-now-facing-calls-resign/ A Colorado Republican tweeted about Pelosi’s location during the Capitol siege. She’s now facing calls to resign], Boston Globe 12 Jan. 2021</ref> The fallout from the insurrection led to the resignation of her communications director.<ref>Alex Woodward, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/qanon-lauren-boebert-capitol-riots-b1788410.html Aide to Lauren Boebert resigns following Capitol riots], The Independent 16 Jan. 2021</ref> Worse still, she voted to overturn the results of the election in the immediate wake of the riot.<ref>Li Zhou, [https://www.vox.com/2021/1/6/22218058/republicans-objections-election-results 147 Republican lawmakers still objected to the election results after the Capitol attack], Vox 7 Jan. 2021</ref>

===Transphobia===
[[File:Ron DeSantis & Lauren Boebert (51326398957).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Boebert with Florida governor [[Ron DeSantis]] in 2021.]]
{{main|Transphobia}}
She opposed the Equality Act for transphobic reasons, saying, "Where is the equality in this legislation for the young girls across America who will have to look behind their backs as they change in school locker rooms just to make sure there isn’t a [[transphobia#misgendering and deadnaming|confused man]] trying to catch a peek?", reinforcing the myth that trans women would [[rape]] young girls ''en masse'' if they were allowed in locker rooms and women's bathrooms.<ref>Carly Compesi, [https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/featured/colorado-politicians-speak-against-rep-boeberts-transphobic-remarks/ Colorado Politicians Speak Against Rep. Boebert's Transphobic Remarks], Out Front Magazine 1 Mar. 2021</ref> This ignores the reality that trans women tend to get assaulted vastly more in men's spaces.<ref>[https://justdetention.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/FS-Targets-For-Abuse-Transgender-Inmates-And-Prisoner-Rape.pdf Targets for Abuse: Transgender Inmates and Prisoner Rape], Just Detention International Mar. 2013</ref> These remarks earned her the condemnation of not only many Colorado lawmakers but also the [[LGBTQ]] caucus.<ref>[https://www.senatedems.co/press/lgbtq-caucus-condemns-boeberts-transphobic-floor-remarks LGBTQ Caucus Condemns Boebert's Transphobic Floor Remarks], senatedems.co 25 Feb. 2021</ref> She has said that she is raising her boys "to be men" and is "proud of that" regarding her opposition to puberty blockers, while also espousing [[homophobic]] [[stereotypes]] and spouting bogus claims that puberty blockers can cause [[cancer]], [[brain]] damage, and sterilization when they're totally reversible.<ref group="note">People who die ''whilst'' using puberty blockers are generally using them as part of palliative care. Notably, Lupron, a common puberty blocker, is used by prostate cancer patients.</ref><ref>Bil Browning, [https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/02/gop-rep-lauren-boehbert-uses-anti-gay-stereotypes-explain-vote-lgbtq-rights-bill/ GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert uses anti-gay stereotypes to explain vote against LGBTQ rights bill], LGBTQ Nation 25 Feb. 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gender-dysphoria/in-depth/pubertal-blockers/art-20459075 Pubertal blockers for transgender and gender diverse youth], Mayo Clinic</ref>

===Islamophobia===

Boebert has been accused of [[Islamophobic]] remarks towards Congresswoman [[Ilhan Omar]]. One such statement involved calling Omar the "[[jihad]] squad".<ref>[https://www.cpr.org/2021/11/26/boebert-apologizes-for-joking-that-a-muslim-member-of-congress-is-a-terrorist Rep. Boebert apologizes for joking that a Muslim member of Congress is a terrorist] by Megan Verlee, November 26, 2021, ''Colorado Public Radio''/</ref> She has also called Omar "a full-time propagandist for [[Hamas]]" and an "honorary member of Hamas."<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/30/politics/lauren-boebert-ilhan-omar-video-comments/ Another video shows Lauren Boebert suggesting Ilhan Omar was terrorist]</ref>

===Anti-Semitism===
{{main|Antisemitism}}
She asked a group of Orthodox Jewish visitors to the Capitol if they were doing "reconnaissance", and when called on it she claimed she was [[just joking]].<ref>[https://www.coloradopolitics.com/elections/2022/boebert-primary-challenger-rips-incumbents-reported-remarks-to-jewish-capitol-visitors/article_40064636-7a6b-11ec-b6ed-bf15fc115cac.html Boebert primary challenger rips incumbent's reported remarks to Jewish Capitol visitors], Ernest Luning, ''Colorado Politics'' 20 January 2022</ref> Like her fellow loon Marjorie Taylor Greene, she has been known to [[Nazi analogies|compare vaccines to the Holocaust]].<ref>[https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/rep-lauren-boebert-says-bidens-covid-vaccine-staff-are-needle-nazis Rep. Lauren Boebert says Biden’s COVID vaccine staff are ‘Needle Nazis’], Ben Sales, ''Jewish Telegraph Agency'' 8 July 2021</ref>

===Theocracy===
{{main|Theocracy}}
Despite having sworn to "support and defend the [[Constitution of the United States]]" in her Congressional oath of office, Boebert is openly hostile to [[separation of church and state]], the second clause of the [[First Amendment]]:

{{quotebox|The church is supposed to direct the government. The government is not supposed to direct the church. That is not how our [[Founding Fathers]] intended it. I'm tired of this separation of church and state junk that’s not in the Constitution. It was in a stinking letter, and it means nothing like what they say it does.<ref>[https://www.denverpost.com/2022/06/27/lauren-boebert-church-state-colorado/ Lauren Boebert told congregation she’s “tired of this separation of church and state junk”: The congresswoman’s comments were made Sunday to a crowd at the Cornerstone Christian Center in Basalt] by Conrad Swanson (June 27, 2022 at 6:20 p.m.) ''The Denver Post''.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/28/lauren-boebert-church-state-colorado/ GOP Rep. Boebert: ‘I’m tired of this separation of church and state junk’] by Adela Suliman (June 28, 2022 at 10:11 a.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref>}}

The letter to which Boebert was referring was [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s Letter to the Danbury Baptists, which used the phrase "separation between Church & State" in explaining the First Amendment.<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists] (Jan. 1. 1802) ''Library of Congress''.</ref>

==2024 Congressional District switcheroo==
After holding on to her seat in Colorado CD 3 in 2022 by only 546 votes, and facing the same opponent in 2024, Boebert engaged in [[carpetbagging]] and joined a crowded field of Republicans hoping to fill the much redder seat vacated by Ken Buck in CD 4. She won the June 25 primary easily in Colorado's most Republican district.<ref>[https://www.cpr.org/2024/06/25/4th-congressional-district-race/ Colorado Public Radio: Rep. Lauren Boebert wins GOP primary for Colorado’s 4th District]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2022/09/2570-lauren-boebert.html Lauren Boebert] at the [[Encyclopedia of American Loons]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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