Lauren Boebert has only been a Congresswoman for 15 days, but there is already talk that she should resign or be expelled from the House of Representatives. The Colorado Republican not only voted against certifying the electoral votes but also released an inflammatory video about bringing a gun with her to Congress. That threat, in part, led Congress to install metal detectors outside the House floor. But when Boebert set detectors off, a reporter says she entered “a standoff with Capitol Police.” She eventually was allowed on the floor, but Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi later said that going forward there will now be “fines on those who refuse to abide by these protections.”
House members — in both parties — are saying they’re scared of this member. Not politically, literally scared for their safety. There needs to be some resolution to that or it’s going to hang over the entire Congress. https://t.co/0qAQbbFpSm
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) January 13, 2021
Even more disturbing to some of her colleagues is the action she may have taken related to the siege on Capitol Hill. She live-tweeted the whereabouts of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi while rioters were storming the Capitol. And now there are questions about whether she gave some of the rioters a tour of the Capitol ahead of the insurrection. The Daily Beast writes:
Democrats have alleged that a GOP colleague gave a “reconnaissance” tour of the Capitol the day before the mob stormed the building. Over the weekend, Boebert denied she was the member—even though no one had accused her by name—saying she did not guide “any outside groups of ‘insurrectionists.’”
Today, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) said “We saw Congressman Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th… we were walking in a tunnel… and she had a large group with her.”
Receipts: pic.twitter.com/GjuydqOcFI
— Jesse Damiani (@JesseDamiani) January 18, 2021
Cohen says he has no idea whether any of those on Boebert’s tour were involved in the violence at the Capitol, but an investigation is underway to determine who may have given tours to insurrectionists. And links are also being made to people Boebert may have been acquainted with who have been arrested in connection with storming the Capitol.
Prosecutors have charged a Colorado insurrectionist and so-called “militia” member Robert Gieswein for being at the riot at the Capitol.
And … here he is in a photo taken in front of Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert’s bar, Shooter’s Grill. #coleg https://t.co/soDU6C2Tf2
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) January 18, 2021
With all of this in mind today, on Martin Luther King Junior’s day, his daughter Bernice King, took exception to a tweet from Boebert invoking a quote from her father.
I encourage you to study my father more comprehensively and to attend @TheKingCenter’s virtual sessions on his nonviolent philosophy and his work to eradicate racism, war and poverty. A powerful book to start with is his last one, ‘Where Do We Go From Here…’ #MLK #MLKDay https://t.co/KVAJBg3SQ0
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 18, 2021
Meanwhile, over the weekend AXIOS reported Boebert’s communications director quit after less than two weeks on the job. Ben Goldey told Axios: “Following the events of January 6th, I’ve decided to part ways with the office.
Boebert is also facing a legal battle. According to the Denver Post:
Former state Rep. Brianna Buentello sued U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert in federal court Sunday, alleging Colorado’s controversial new congresswoman violated Buentello’s free speech rights by blocking her on Twitter following the storming of the U.S. Capitol.
The CBS affiliate in Denver spoke with the woman’s attorney David Lane, who said what Boebert did is unconstitutional, “The courts have uniformly held that is a First Amendment violation.”
Lane says there is precedent for their filing.
“Donald Trump lost a very similar lawsuit.”
He says the representative can’t expect protection of her own First Amendment rights while violating his client’s or anyone else’s.
Watch more from CBS Denver above.