Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing calls for her resignation after tweeting out information about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the attack on the US Capitol that left five dead.
Ms Boebert has been called the “QAnon Congresswoman” for saying she hopes the baseless conspiracy theory alleging a demonic global paedophile ring that includes the majority of US Democratic politicians and features secret executions, clones and a mass, apocalyptic reckoning called “The Storm” is “real.”
She has said she is not a QAnon follower, but said she was glad that the US Attorney General was investigating “deep state” activities.
She is the second QAnon-adjacent lawmaker elected to Congress. Rep Marjorie Taylor Green is also a follower of the conspiracy theory.
Ms Boebert – who also said she would carry her firearm to Congress – tweeted details of the lockdown on the day of the insurrection at the US Capitol carried out by supporters of Donald Trump.
She first shared that the lawmakers had been moved to the House chambers. Then, she tweeted out the “Speaker has been removed from the chambers.”
While Ms Boebert did not provide specific details on Ms Peolosi’s location, critics allege she was attempting to aid the rioters who were searching for her.
In video from the attack, some rioters can be heard yelling that they were “coming for” Ms Pelosi.
Protesters rallied at Ms Boebert’s offices in Colorado on Monday calling for her resignation.
Rural Colorado United, an activist group organising the protests, called Ms Boebert “unfit” to serve Coloradans.
“Lauren Boebert has betrayed the American people and is a conspirator in the insurrection that occurred at Capitol Hill on January 6th,” the group wrote in a press release. “As the citizens she represents in Congress, we cannot recall her and we cannot impeach her, but we do not accept that she is fit to represent the people of Colorado District 3 in Congress. We can only hope that her colleagues in Congress expel her.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, called on the Ethics Committee Monday to consider expelling or punishing Sens Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley for leading the charge in the Senate to challenge the results of the 2020 election, which he alleges directly influenced the angry mob of Trump supporters that attacked the Capitol.
In his request, Mr Sheldon cited Mr Cruz and Mr Hawley specifically, but said “perhaps others” should be considered for expulsion or punishment as well. It is unclear if those “others” would include Ms Boebert.
Just before the attack, Ms Boebert gave an impassioned speech in which she claimed some of her constituents were among the mob fighting the police on the Capitol steps at the time.
“Madame Speaker, I have constituents outside this building right now and I promised to be their voice,” Ms Boebert said while challenging the results of the election in Arizona. “It is my separate but equal obligation to weigh in on this election and object.”
Ms Boebert is no stranger to far-right extremist groups.
ABC News reported that her former campaign manager, Sherronna Bishop, had praised the Proud Boys, an SPLC-designated hate group that travels the country starting fights at protests and espouses a neo-fascist ideology.
The Proud Boys were among those who attacked the US Capitol.
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