It's been nearly a week since video emerged of far-right Congresswoman Lauren Boebert comparing Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar—one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress in American history—to a suicide bomber, further slamming her as a member of the "Jihad Squad."
Boebert told constituents:
"I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers and he and I were 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. I see fret all over his face. And he's reaching. The door is shutting. I can't open it. What's happening? I look to my left and there she is, Ilhan Omar, and I said, 'Well she doesn't have a backpack, we should be fine.'"
Later, video emerged of Boebert telling the so-called joke yet again, both times met with laughter from her supporters.
This week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested Boebert shouldn't face additional discipline because, according to him, she apologized both publicly and privately to Congresswoman Omar.
Watch below.
House Leader Kevin McCarthy on not condemning Rep. Lauren Boebert’s Islamophobic comments directed at Rep. Ilhan Omar: “She apologized publicly. She apologized personally …"
(Boebert has not apologized to Omar publicly and, per Omar, has not privately either.) pic.twitter.com/mhfFDNPNlp
— The Recount (@therecount) December 3, 2021
McCarthy said:
"[Boebert] apologized publicly, she apologized personally. I contacted [House Majority Leader] Steny Hoyer and even talked about, 'Maybe Steny and I should be in the room.' We should lower the temperature of this Congress."
Boebert did issue an apology, but not to Ilhan Omar. Rather, she apologized to "anyone in the Muslim community" she offended.
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
What's more, the call Boebert made to Omar resulted in Omar hanging up after Boebert called her "anti-American."
People were quick to call McCarthy out.
This is a blatant lie. Boebert never apologized to @IlhanMN privately or publicly and explicitly refused to do so on the phone, instead calling Rep. Omar "anti-American."
By failing to condemn, McCarthy is condoning it. https://t.co/bR6GBCAVFv
— Jeremy Slevin (@jeremyslevin) December 3, 2021
This is a flat out LIE from Kevin McCarthy @GOPLeader. That idiot @laurenboebert @RepBoebert did NOT personally apologize to @IlhanMN @Ilhan. He is a gutless weasel. https://t.co/2bijZUaRkC
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) December 3, 2021
Lies she ramped up the hate @GOPLeader https://t.co/4j9y0m2frp
— James Scott lives on land stolen from Muscogee N (@Jscott1145) December 3, 2021
Two lies, she never apologized to Ilhan Omar, publicly or privately, only the obligatory ‘if I offended anybody’ bullshit. On top of that she demanded that Omar apologize for God knows what. And this used car salesman wants to be Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/lJeZsA0hNK
— Hugo Kijne (@HugoKijne) December 3, 2021
Amazing that an elected Republican would outright lie. https://t.co/Hj1X2kuuGO
— Gerry Conway Got the Shots and Lived (@gerryconway) December 3, 2021
Fact Check: @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy is lying https://t.co/6yz9fbOJIa
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) December 3, 2021
People are calling for Boebert to face consequences.
"Will there be any consequences for Boebert? Or, will Islamophobia continue to remain one of the last acceptable forms of bigotry in Washington D.C.?"
From my monologue on the @MehdiHasanShow tonight, on Lauren Boebert's vicious attack on Ilhan Omar:pic.twitter.com/oPjhDGxyt8
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 30, 2021
People truly don’t understand the scale, intensity, & volume of threats targeting @IlhanMN.
Kevin McCarthy is so desperate to be speaker that he is working with his Ku Klux Klan caucus to look aside & allow violent targeting of woc members of Congress.
This cannot be ignored. https://t.co/ppridf6bZl
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 1, 2021
Interesting how Lauren Boebert can falsely call Congresswoman Omar a terrorist who consorts with criminals when Boebert actually has a criminal mugshot and played a large role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. It’s as if racism lets her escape any consequences and scrutiny.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) November 30, 2021
So far, there have been no official moves to censure Boebert for her asinine statements.
