Video evidence contradicts Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert's claim that she intentionally missed a crucial debt ceiling vote as a form of "silent protest."
Boebert has been an outspoken critic of the debt ceiling bill signed into law by President Joe Biden. The legislation suspends the nation's debt limit until January 1, 2025, to prevent a default that could have severe global economic consequences.
Boebert's office previously stated that she had filed a "missing vote" form indicating her intention to vote against the bill, and her opposition was recorded in the Congressional Record.
On Twitter, Boebert derided the bill as "more DC self-created garbage that [she] will always fight against" and in an accompanying video, she claimed she was "ticked off because they wouldn't let me do my job so I didn't take the vote."
She added:
"Call it a no-show protest but I certainly let my colleagues and the country know I was against this garbage of a bill."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
However, as the Twitter community note on Boebert's video makes clear, there's video showing Boebert rushing up the Capitol steps while a CNN reporter informs her that the vote had already concluded.
In the footage, Boebert expresses surprise upon learning that she missed the vote and continues ascending the steps.
The video came from CNN Associate Producer Morgan Rimmer, who confirmed Boebert "kept running up the stairs" even though she told her "it had closed already."
You can see the video below.
Boebert was swiftly criticized for her dishonesty.
Many accused her of attempting to deflect from her failure to fulfill her duties as a Representative.
Both chambers of Congress recently passed the bipartisan agreement to raise the national debt ceiling and avert a historic default, which Biden signed over the weekend.
The legislation will suspend the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025, providing more time to address the issue after the 2024 presidential election.
It includes spending caps, expedited energy project permitting, the clawback of unused COVID-19 funds, and expanded work requirements for food aid programs. The bill's success hinged on garnering support from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, and was widely seen as a win for President Biden who managed to keep spending cuts far below what Republicans had originally sought while also pushing the debt ceiling can down the road beyond the 2024 election.
