Boebert on Al Green ‘pimp cane’ remark: ‘I stand by it’

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) said she stands by her comment referring to Rep. Al Green’s (D-Texas) walking aid as a “pimp cane,” even as she faces a censure resolution for her remarks.

In a Tuesday interview with Real America’s Voice, Boebert brushed off Rep. Chrissy Houlahan’s (D-Pa.) censure resolution, which quotes Boebert saying, “For him [Green] to go and shake his pimp cane at President Trump was absolutely abhorrent.”

The censure resolution describes Boebert’s remarks as “disparaging, derogatory, and racist toward another colleague, and are a breach of proper conduct and decorum of the U.S. House of Representatives.”

Boebert mocked her colleague in response.

“Rep. Houla-whatever — Houlahan, Houla-ha — she has decided that she was getting far too many attacks from her base for voting against the censure of Rep. Al Green and decided to attack me for referencing his cane as a pimp cane,” Boebert told host Grant Stinchfield.

“And, Grant, I stand by it,” Boebert added.

Houlahan was, in fact, among the 10 House Democrats who supported the resolution to censure their fellow Democrat over his repeated disruption of President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress.

Boebert said her “pimp cane” quip was a “little slight” to Green’s cane and his gesture. “His cane that was wielded at the president of the United States,” Boebert added.

“And you know what? If she wants to censure me over it, go ahead and try, girlfriend,” the Colorado Republican continued. “I have the American people who will show up, who will donate and who will reelect me.”

Even as a handful of Democrats have criticized Green’s disruption, many have praised him for standing up against cuts to Medicaid. Some Democrats have also pointed to similar outbursts that Republicans, including Boebert, have made in previous presidential addresses to Congress.

“Congressman Al Green’s decision to protest President Trump’s words during the Joint Address on Tuesday was one of conscience, and he maintains the full support of our Caucus,” Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.

“Americans around the country are showing up to town halls to express their outrage over Republicans’ complete disregard for the needs of the American people and Congressman Green gave voice to their concerns,” Clarke continued.

Boebert, in the latest interview, suggested Houlahan and others who say race was a factor in her original comment are, themselves, perpetuating racist stereotypes.

“I have never seen Al Green actually use his cane as a support to walk. I have seen him shake it for years, all throughout the Capitol, during any meeting that I’ve ever been present with him in,” Boebert said, “and if that gold-plated cane isn’t a pimp cane, I don’t know what is.”

“But maybe Houla-hoo is really the racist here. Are only Blacks pimps? Is that what I’m hearing? Are there no cisgender white pimps in America?” she added.

Green, who is Black, regularly uses a cane to walk around the Capitol and has done so for years.