A rundown of Lauren Boebert's messiest and most notorious controversies ever

The comprehensive list of Rep Lauren Boebert's past controversies

Rep Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) has become a household name mostly due to her involvement in contentious issues and her ability to attract mainstream attention. In 2019, Boebert gained widespread recognition in her local district for her confrontation with then-presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke during his speech on gun laws. Despite her lack of prior political experience, Boebert seized the opportunity to address O'Rourke directly while he was fielding questions, thus making a memorable introduction to the political stage. "I was one of the gun-owning Americans that heard your speech and heard what you had to say regarding, 'Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15s and your AK-47'," she remarked. "Well, I am here to say, 'Hell no. You're not'." Boebert quickly grabbed the interest of media outlets such as Fox News and the National Review, and in 2020 she was elected to the 3rd Congressional District in Colorado. Regardless, Boebert's backing in the 3rd district dwindled over time, and in 2022, she narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Adam Frisch by only 542 votes. Rep. Boebert intends to seek election in Colorado's 4th Congressional District in 2024, as she thinks she has a stronger chance of winning there. The divisive politician has not been discouraged by the scandals that have dogged her throughout her political career, as she told reporters regarding her reelection, "I don't want the left to have a chance to buy the seat from us, and their only argument is me."

1. Lauren Boebert had legal troubles before entering politics

It's no secret that many politicians have some questionable incidents in their past, but Lauren Boebert seems to have more than her fair share. In 2004, according to the New York Post, Lauren was involved in a legal incident when she assaulted her then-boyfriend, Jayson Boebert, who later became her ex-husband. This incident occurred after Jayson's seven-day jail term resulting from Lauren's accusations of physical abuse. Prior to this incident, Jayson had also been incarcerated for indecent exposure at a bowling alley. At the age of 17, Lauren faced charges of underage drinking, third-degree assault, and criminal mischief. In 2010, Lauren had another legal issue when a neighbor accused her of causing trouble with her pit bulls. Charges were filed, but Lauren was ultimately not convicted. In 2015, she found herself in trouble with the law twice, once for trying to interfere with the police's attempt to arrest teenagers at a country music festival, and the second time for failing to appear in court. The following year, she was charged with careless driving and arrested for not attending court. She later pleaded guilty to the charges.

2. Lauren Boebert reportedly abandoned her son and sister-in-law after an accident

During her Congressional campaign in 2019, Lauren Boebert was involved in a Jeep ATV accident. Her passengers at the time reportedly included her son, her dog, and her sister-in-law, Tori Hooper. Allegedly, an unnamed source speaking to the Daily Mail in 2022 claimed that Boebert left the scene, leaving the other three behind, and no 911 call was made to report the incident. "It was pretty crazy. She [Boebert] got out of the driver's seat and left Tori screaming and freaking out, and her son and dog in the back seat," the source told the aforementioned outlet. "Tori couldn't get out of her seatbelt, so she grabbed the steering wheel. She's steering into a cliff. They hit a rock wall; it struck her whole face. It was bad." Following the accident, it was alleged that Boebert promised to cover all of Tori's medical expenses on the condition that she refrained from disclosing the matter to the public. However, since Hooper was covered by insurance, Boebert did not ultimately provide any financial assistance. These claims were corroborated by Stephanie Bohochi, Hooper's mother, who claimed, "[Tori] got stuck inside of a crevice in the Jeep while Lauren sort of, kind of took off her belt and slipped out." Boebert's representative informed the outlet that she was "ejected" from the ATV rather than fleeing the scene on purpose.

3. Lauren Boebert was accused of starting an affair

Before entering politics, Lauren Boebert was the proprietor of Shooters Grill, a restaurant where an alleged romantic involvement with one of her employees, chef Matt Archambault, took place. In 2023, Jennifer Martinez, Archambault's estranged wife, disclosed to the Daily Mail that Boebert engaged in a romantic relationship with the chef. Martinez claimed that Boebert lavished Archambault with gifts, extended travel invitations, and even offered him a cruise ticket. "She made it all about her. She became enmeshed in our lives," Martinez claimed. "It got to a point where he was more involved with her and her kids than he was with me and our son." Martinez claims that Boebert and Archambault started going out together more and more on their own, without the knowledge of their respective spouses. "She's a bad, bad woman. She made it so hard for me to get the help that I needed. She ruined my life," Martinez said. Following an altercation, Boebert obtained a restraining order against Martinez, who allegedly entered Boebert's mother's residence. Martinez claimed to have been harassed by Boebert, citing hostile messages and defacement of Boebert's driver's license with derogatory phrases. A spokesperson for Boebert denied allegations of an affair with Archambault to the news outlet.

4. The intention of Lauren Boebert's January 6 tweets was questioned

The calls for the resignation of Lauren Boebert arose following accusations that she potentially assisted insurrectionists during the events of January 6, 2021. Boebert's tweets during the Capitol breach, wherein she disclosed the location of lawmakers and mentioned Nancy Pelosi's absence from the chambers, raised concerns about her intentions. Notably, there were apprehensions regarding whether her actions may have inadvertently provided information to the insurrectionists. Furthermore, Boebert's vocal rejection of the election results in Arizona during her House floor speech before the Capitol attack added to the controversy. "Madame Speaker, I have constituents outside this building right now and I promised to be their voice. It is my separate but equal obligation to weigh in on this election and object," she asserted. After the Capitol riot, Boebert denied any effort on her part in attempting to provide the angry mob with Pelosi's whereabouts. "I do not support unlawful acts of violence and support the rule of law. Furthermore, my tweets came after both events referenced occurred and I never disclosed secure locations," she stated at the time.

5. Lauren Boebert made Islamophobic statements against one of her fellow lawmakers

During a 2021 event attended by Lauren Boebert, a video captured the Centennial State Republican making offensive jokes about her peer, Rep Ilhan Omar (D-Minn). Boebert quipped to the crowd that Omar was once mistaken for a terrorist in the Capitol building. "We get in the elevator and I see a Capitol Police officer running hurriedly to the elevator. I see fret all over his face. And he's reaching. The door is shutting. I can't open it," she told the crowd. She then described how she noticed Congresswoman Omar was with her on the elevator. "I said, 'Well she doesn't have a backpack, we should be fine,'" Boebert remarked. "I look over and I say, 'Look, the jihad squad decided to show up for work today'." Boebert then reassured the crowd that they shouldn't worry about her getting in trouble for the joke. She mentioned that Omar was "not tough in person" and relied on her staff to speak up for her, instead of doing so herself. Omar then took to X, (formerly Twitter), to refute Boebert's story and called her a "buffoon." "Normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims," the Minnesota Democrat wrote. Boebert eventually offered an apology.

6. Lauren Boebert put out a photo of her children holding firearms after a school shooting

In December 2021, Lauren Boebert sparked controversy by sharing her family's holiday card on social media. The image depicted Boebert and her four sons holding firearms, a move that drew widespread criticism given its timing shortly after a tragic school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, where a 15-year-old took the lives of four classmates using a gun he had received as an early Christmas present. Boebert's posting was in response to Representative Thomas Massie's holiday photo, which also showcased his family with firearms, shared on X, previously known as Twitter. "The Boeberts have your six, @RepThomasMassie!" Boebert captioned the tweet. The image of her young children posing with their rifles in front of a Christmas tree was heavily criticized by many. Rep Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was among the public figures who condemned the photo. "Tell me again where Christ said 'use the commemoration of my birth to flex violent weapons for personal political gain'?" the progressive Democratic representative wrote on X. "lol @ all the years Republicans spent on cultural hysteria of society 'erasing Christmas and it's meaning' when they're doing that fine all on their own."

7. The right-wing Civil War between Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene was one for the ages

The conflict between Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene reached a critical point on the House floor in June 2023. Despite their shared political affiliation, their conflicting proposals for the impeachment of President Joe Biden led to a heated confrontation. According to witnesses interviewed by The Daily Beast, Greene accused Boebert of plagiarizing her work. "You copied my articles of impeachment after I asked you to cosponsor them," Greene reportedly told Boebert. Greene allegedly called Boebert a "b**ch" throughout their argument with one another, according to multiple witnesses. One Republican lawmaker who chose to remain anonymous confirmed that the incident occurred, following which Boebert informed Greene that she was done with her. "OK, Marjorie, we're through," she reportedly said before turning her back on her old ally. "We were never together," Greene fired back. Not only did Boebert not dispute the very existence of the exchange, but she insisted that she did not regard Greene as an adversary. Speaking with CNN's Manu Raju, the Colorado Republican remarked, "Like I said, I'm not in middle school." Greene retaliated on Boebert’s comments in The Daily Beast, saying, "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery."

8. Lauren Boebert's inappropriate conduct during a theater production made the news

Lauren Boebert's embarrassing behavior during a production of ‘Beetlejuice’ in September 2023 became a source of public hilarity. During the family-friendly show, she and her companion, Quinn Gallagher, engaged in disruptive behavior, including physical intimacy, vaping, taking photographs, and singing loudly. Other attendees expressed their dissatisfaction to theater officials, prompting a request for Boebert and Gallagher to show consideration for their fellow audience members. "The patrons were argumentative, saying they were in concert with everyone around them. I again informed them it was a group experience, and they would be asked to leave if they continued," an official told CNN. The situation escalated as Boebert persisted with her antics. Upon being asked to leave, both she and her companion initially refused but were eventually escorted outside. Video evidence of the incident suggests that Boebert showed her middle finger toward the theater official during her removal. Subsequently, rumors circulated that Boebert had been ejected from the theater, prompting her to address the matter via a tweet. "It's true, I did thoroughly enjoy the AMAZING Beetlejuice at the Buell Theatre and I plead guilty to laughing and singing too loud!" the disgraced congresswoman posted. She then issued a formal apology, citing her recent divorce for her unseemly actions.

9. Lauren Boebert’s son was arrested in 2024

Lauren Boebert's political career has been marred by ongoing family challenges. In addition to navigating a turbulent relationship with her ex-husband, she has also faced issues related to her oldest son, Tyler Boebert. Tyler has a history of legal troubles, beginning in 2022 when he was involved in a car accident resulting in serious injury to a friend, leading to charges of careless driving causing bodily injury. Subsequently, in February 2024, Tyler was arrested on 22 counts, including allegations of breaking into cars and theft. According to The New Republic, Tyler, who turned 19 in March 2024, is suspected of participating in a group theft involving multiple credit cards and wallets. Following his arrest, an affidavit revealed that Tyler allegedly filmed a sexually explicit video with another suspect who was a minor, which was reportedly distributed to individuals familiar with Tyler and the unnamed minor involved. Following the claims, Lauren acknowledged Tyler's difficulties growing up in the spotlight, but stated that he "will take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for poor decisions just like any other citizen."

10. Lauren Boebert tried shutting down a pro-Palestine protest

During a pro-Palestine protest in May 2024, Lauren Boebert's previous controversies resurfaced. While attempting to address a crowd of pro-Palestine protestors at George Washington University, Boebert was observed attempting to remove a Palestinian flag from the George Washington statue on campus. This incident served as a reminder of her prior conduct at a 2023 production of the 'Beetlejuice' musical, which remains vivid in the public's memory. "This is America, and that sh** needs to come down," she told the students nearby, who tried to stop her from taking down the flag. "It's not your property," one student told Boebert. "Beetlejuice" was chanted by the students as she moved through the protesting group of students. Boebert addressed the demonstrators and decried, "Not only is this disgusting but let me be clear: Almost every single person in this so-called 'liberated zone' would be eviscerated by the very terrorists you are standing here supporting." She pointed to specific signs that read "Queer and trans folks for a liberated Palestine" and "Gays for Gaza." There were also some "Beetlejuice" signs, presumably intended to parody Boebert. She then threatened to have Congress withhold government funds from the university if the protests continued.