Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, is under fire for a story she told about Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, while speaking at a Thursday campaign event.
“I have an Ilhan story for you,” the Republican congresswoman told supporters. “The other night on the House floor was not my first Jihad Squad moment.”
Boebert suggested the Minnesota Democrat may have been seen as a security risk by Capitol Police, according to a video of her comments posted to Twitter.
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“I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers, and, he and I, we’re leaving the Capitol. We’re going back to my office, and we get in the elevator, and I see a Capitol Police officer running hurriedly to the elevator,” Boebert recalled. “I see fret all over his face, and he’s reaching, and I’m like, the door is shutting, like, I can’t open it, like, what is happening?”
Over the Thanksgiving break, Lauren Boebert said she was recently in a Capitol elevator with Ilhan Omar when a fretful Capitol police officer ran up.
Lauren Boebert said: “Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine.”
Boebert then called Ilhan Omar, “jihad squad.” pic.twitter.com/Y7f0nFbnud
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) November 25, 2021
At that point, when the doors had shut, Boebert said she realized Omar was in the elevator with her.
“I look to my left, and there she is, Ilhan Omar,” she said. “I said, ‘Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine.'”
Boebert said she proceeded to address her colleague.
“I looked over, and I said, ‘Oh, look, the Jihad Squad decided to show up for work today,'” she told supporters.
Omar responded to Boebert’s comments by claiming the whole story was fabricated.
Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout.
Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized. Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation. https://t.co/S1APT7RbqW
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 26, 2021
“Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout,” Omar tweeted. “Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized. Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation.”
Other members of Omar’s progressive “Squad” were quick to condemn the words of the Colorado Republican.
It is incredibly dangerous for a sitting member of Congress to espouse and spread Islamophobia and hatred.@IlhanMN is one of the most respected members of Congress and a national leader. She represents the future. That’s why she’s occupying their minds rent free. https://t.co/wfM8FspAkl
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) November 26, 2021
“It is incredibly dangerous for a sitting member of Congress to espouse and spread Islamophobia and hatred,” Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a New York Democrat, tweeted.
These pathetic racist lies will not only endanger the life of @IlhanMN, but will increase hate crimes towards Muslims.
The continued silence & inaction towards this hate-filled colleague and others is enabling violence. It must stop.https://t.co/wVsOs6Hf73
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 26, 2021
“These pathetic racist lies will not only endanger the life of @IlhanMN, but will increase hate crimes towards Muslims,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, said.
“These comments are personally hurtful, legitimately endanger her & the broader Muslim community,” Ayanna Pressley, a Massachusetts Democrat, posted. “Rhetoric like this must be denounced & anyone spewing it held to account.”
Shameful, deeply offensive & dangerous. Yet another blatant display of Islamophobia targeting @IlhanMN These comments are personally hurtful, legitimately endanger her & the broader Muslim community. Rhetoric like this must be denounced & anyone spewing it held to account. https://t.co/5m3Qykn2WM
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) November 26, 2021
Omar herself is demanding House leadership take direct action to address Boebert’s comments.
Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress. https://t.co/A0VxI3uTmH pic.twitter.com/QTmqaGaZrM
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 26, 2021
“Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress,” she tweeted.
I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar. I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) November 26, 2021
Boebert, facing immense pressure, apologized for her comments Friday on Twitter.
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“I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar,” she tweeted. “I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.”
