Boebert faces heavy criticism after Gosar floor speech

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) is facing a wave of backlash following a fiery floor speech she made Wednesday in defense of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) before he was censured by the House for posting an animated video on social media depicting himself killing another member of Congress. 

During her remarks on the House floor, Boebert deflected attention from Gosar’s video by referring to progressive Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as a member of what she called “the Jihad Squad” and accusing Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) of sleeping with a Chinese spy. 

“The Jihad Squad member from Minnesota has paid her husband, and not her brother husband, the other one, over a million dollars in campaign funds,” she said. “This member is allowed on the Foreign Affairs Committee while praising terrorists.”

“My colleague and three-month presidential candidate from California who’s on the Intelligence Committee, slept with Fang Fang, a Chinese spy. Let me say that again: A member of Congress who receives classified briefings was sleeping with the enemy,” she said in an attack on Swalwell. 

Video of Boebert’s diatribe was widely circulated and criticized on social media on Wednesday.  

*coughs*
“Jayson Boebert pleaded guilty to public indecency and lewd exposure, earning himself four days in jail and two years’ probation.”https://t.co/WIHGjGSLKn https://t.co/IV6A7S9k6Q

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 17, 2021

Denver, Colorado:

Please watch this one minute from NBC’s Kyle Clark.

“We hold Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert to a different standard than we hold every other elected official in Colorado. We hold congresswoman Boebert to a far lower standard.” https://t.co/uI0lEAeWBm

— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) November 18, 2021

Dear Lauren Boebert: Here’s the “Jihad Squad” for you. Muslim Americans who keep people like you and America safe… https://t.co/hFWK6AgQMS pic.twitter.com/cbr51U4aiX

— MuslimMarine (@mansoortshams) November 18, 2021

Swalwell responded to her remarks in a tweet.  

“Weird. If I had done anything wrong the FBI would have raided my house. They didn’t (and went as far to issue a statement saying I did nothing wrong),” he said in an apparent reference to a reported FBI raid on the home of an ex-campaign manager of Boebert’s in connection with the leaking of election data. 

“Luckily my dad raised me right, otherwise I might have gone to the floor to talk about this insurrectionist who sleeps with a pervert,” Omar said in a response of her own. “I am grateful I was raised to be a decent human and not a deprived person who shamefully defecates & defiles the House of Representatives.”

Weird. If I had done anything wrong the FBI would have raided my house. They didn’t (and went as far to issue a statement saying I did nothing wrong). BUT yesterday they did raid the home of @laurenboebert’s campaign manager. They’re always projecting. https://t.co/FLCkPghbsr

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) November 17, 2021

Boebert’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.