There’s a gulf of space between what Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is admitting to and what she’s accused of.
If the truth lies somewhere between the two versions of the story, even Boebert’s version is pretty damning.
In her second term in Congress, it would be nice to expect that she knows how to behave in public — and it would be easier to imagine if she didn’t regularly go out of her way to demonstrate otherwise.
In this case, she’s been kicked out of a performance of Beetlejuice in Denver, Colorado, after refusing to settle down despite multiple complaints from others in the audience about her and a friend vaping, laughing and singing, and taking photos and videos of performers, and a warning apparently issued during intermission.
To make matters worse, she then allegedly tried to abuse her political power to keep her seat — wait, does that sound familiar?
Boebert acknowledges that the incident occurred, but is downplaying it significantly, saying that she “plead[s] guilty to laughing and singing too loud[ly].”
Even her version is an acknowledgment of misbehavior in a theater, where other people also paid to see the performance and would like to enjoy it, but she notably omits some important factors.
A U.S. Representative should probably answer to allegations she refused to leave when requested, forcing the venue to call for police, and particularly to the claim that she then said, “Do you know who I am?”
(She does know she wasn’t elected to bully theater ushers and out-drama the actors in a public performance, right? No?)
On the way out, security footage shows Boebert treating her public to Act II — behaving belligerently, stopping for a selfie on her way out to the lobby, and even turning around to shake her finger at the folks escorting her to the door.
Once in the street, she’s seen grabbing her companion’s hand and taking a celebratory twirl.
But Boebert’s own responses imply she barely did more than laugh a little loudly and enjoy the show.
“I can confirm the stunning and salacious rumors: in her personal time, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is indeed a supporter of the performing arts (gasp!) and, to the dismay of a select few, enthusiastically enjoyed a weekend performance of Beetlejuice,” Boebert’s campaign manager Drew Sexton said in a statement.
That’s a pretty mild way to frame a public disturbance. Boebert’s own words aren’t much better. She tweeted:
“It’s true, I did thoroughly enjoy the AMAZING Beetlejuice at the Buell Theatre and I plead guilty to laughing and singing too loud! Everyone should go see it if you get the chance this week and please let me know how it ends! “
Watch her behavior as she’s escorted out below.
Of all those people in the crowd trying to enjoy the show, only one neanderthal had to behave so obnoxiously that she was ruining it for the rest of the audience and had to be removed. And that person was a Member of the US House of Representatives. https://t.co/5QBzwNHsCw
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 13, 2023
Steph Bazzle covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph.
