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Boebert scrutiny intensifies as House impeaches Trump historic second time
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Silt Republican whose district includes most of Eagle County, delivered a fiery and sometimes head-scratching speech on the House floor Wednesday as the U.S. House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting a riot with false claims of a stolen election during certification of Electoral College votes on Jan. 6.
Five people died, including a Capitol Police officer, as hundreds of insurrectionists – some with ties to domestic terrorism groups – stormed the Capitol and sent members of Congress scrambling for safety. Ten Republicans joined with all 222 House Democrats to impeach Trump, who encouraged rioters to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell.”
It was the most bipartisan impeachment vote in modern U.S. history and the first time a president has ever been impeached twice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, has reportedly said he will consider voting to convict Trump in a Senate trial, which he has said will not happen until after Jan. 20, when he will no longer be majority leader.
Boebert has been called out by a growing number of local officials in her district for pushing the false and dangerous stolen election claim refusing to acknowledge the victory of President-elect Joe Biden – including a strongly worded open letter from the Eagle County commissioners.
Democrats are now calling for law enforcement officials to investigate whether Boebert and other pro-Trump Republicans may have provided reconnaissance for insurrectionists by allowing them to tour the Capitol the day before during unmasked visits on Jan. 5. Boebert is also defying newly installed metal detectors to prevent banned weapons on the House floor.
A photo of Boebert posted in December of 2019 has been circulating on social media, with many people falsely alleging it shows the congresswoman conducting a tour of the Capitol on Jan. 5 with white supremacist group members flashing white power signs. In fact, the photo was posted with a Dec. 9, 2019, Colorado Times Recorder story by Erik Maulbetsch. Here’s an excerpt:
“Approximately two hundred people rallied at the state Capitol Saturday against Colorado’s new ‘red flag’ law, which allows guns to be taken from people deemed a threat to themselves or others. Organizers of the ‘We Will Not Comply’ rally included Rally For Our Rights activist Lesley Hollywood, conservative Facebook personality Sherronna Bishop, and gun rights activist Lauren Boebert, who just launched her campaign for Colorado’s Third Congressional District, where she will challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton in the Republican primary. Conservative activist Bishop, who runs a Facebook page called ‘America’s Mom,’ emceed the event. She thanked two groups for providing security: Boots On The Ground Bikers For Trump, and the Three Percenters. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists a number of “three percent” anti-government extremist groups in Colorado, including the American Patriots III%, which provided security. Also among the attendees were members of the Proud Boys, which is designated as a hate group by the SPLC.”
Here’s Boebert’s one-minute speech delivered during impeachment deliberations on Wednesday:
“Glory to god. Madam speaker, I rise today to oppose this impeachment and denounce the recent violence on the Capitol, just as I opposed the previous impeachment and the violence we’ve all witnessed all summer long across our great country.
“Make no mistake here, the hypocrisy of the left is on full display. Quote, ‘Go to the Hill. Get in the face of some congresspeople. We’ve got to fight in Congress. We’ve got to fight in the courts, fight in the streets, take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. Take him … go and take Trump out tonight.’ Sound familiar?
“What about the gentlewoman from New York who defended the looting by saying looters just wanted loaves of bread? Well the last I checked Best Buys and Teslas and stores of the like do not produce baked goods.
“Where’s the accountability for the left after encouraging and normalizing violence? Rather than actually helping American people in this time, we start impeachments that further divide our country. I call bull crap when I hear the Democrats demanding unity. Sadly, they’re only unified in hate.”
As catcalls and other disapproving voices began to rise up in response, Boebert said, “Thank you. I yield.”
Boebert did not attribute her quotes to anyone, and it’s important to note that she has steadfastly opposed using public funds to help people whose businesses have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 385,000 Americans since March. She is reportedly opposed to additional government stimulus checks.
Instead, Boebert is a big advocate of the Second Amendment as a means of opposing what she deems a tyrannical government, including in an interview with RealVail.com in May.
Colorado’s congressional delegation was split along party lines 4-3 on impeaching Trump. Senior Colorado delegation Congresswoman Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, spoke just before Boebert on Wednesday:
“Madam Speaker, just over a year ago I stood right there where you’re standing today as we took the solemn step of impeaching the president of the United States for pressuring a foreign leader to take unlawful actions to help him in his reelection.
“And now, just one week ago, almost to the hour, I laid right there on the floor of the gallery above us. I heard gunshots in the speaker’s lobby. I heard the mob pounding on the door. And what they were trying to do – they were all an angry mob incited by the president – trying to stop certification of a legitimate election. It’s clear the president learned nothing in the last year.
“Yesterday the president said again he did nothing wrong. This man is dangerous. He has defied the constitution. He’s incited sedition. And he must be removed. We all took a pledge on Jan. 3 to uphold the constitution. We must honor that oath. We must vote yes on this article of impeachment.”
DeGette and Lafayette Democrat Joe Neguse, who represents the eastern third of Eagle County, including Vail, will be impeachment managers in the Senate trial, which will require 17 Republicans to cross over and vote with Democrats to make Trump the first president ever convicted after being impeached by the House.
Neguse issued the following letter to constituents on Thursday:
“Dear Friend,
One week ago, I stood on the House floor to defend our Constitution, our republic and the will of the American people, by certifying the results of the 2020 election. Moments after I rose to address the chamber and oppose baseless objections to our certification process, the U.S. Capitol was breached, as armed insurrectionists stormed the building and we were evacuated from the House floor. Wednesday’s attack left multiple dead, injured countless police officers and left tremendous damage.
“This was an attack on our American government, on our democracy and a very present threat to the peaceful transfer of power. It is profoundly clear this attack would not have happened without President Trump’s incitement. In doing so, he has betrayed his oath of office, and he is no longer fit to serve.
“Yesterday as the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting a violent insurrection, I voted yes.
“I am humbled that Speaker Pelosi has asked me to serve as an impeachment manager as we anticipate a trial in the U.S. Senate. This is a solemn duty and one I do not take lightly. It is vital that we finish the work began the morning of January 6th to defend our constitution and protect our republic, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”
David O. Williams
B Gillie
January 14, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Lauren Boebart is off the rails.