Progressives call for Lauren Boebert to be removed from House committees

Washington DC - A large contingent of House Progressives is calling for Lauren Boebert to be stripped of her committee assignments following her anti-Muslim remarks against Ilhan Omar.

Ilhan Omar speaks out at a press conference about death threats she has received since Lauren Boebert's Islamophobic comments.
Ilhan Omar speaks out at a press conference about death threats she has received since Lauren Boebert's Islamophobic comments.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) members Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, André Carson, and Pramila Jayapal led 34 of their colleagues in signing a letter demanding consequences for Boebert.

In the statement, they accuse the Colorado Republican of "repeatedly weaponiz[ing] dangerous, anti-Muslim bigotry at our colleague Representative Ilhan Omar."

"Our response to behavior that creates a dangerous work environment and furthers a climate of toxicity and intolerance cannot be silence," they continued. "Congress cannot forgo accountability when a Member engages in hate speech that dehumanizes not only a colleague, but an entire people."

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The conflict began after video footage was released of Boebert suggesting Omar could be a terrorist because of her religious identity.

The situation only got worse after the two shared a tense phone call. Rather than apologize, Boebert was accused of doubling down on her Islamophobic rhetoric and insinuating again that Omar is a terrorist-sympathizer.

Just hours after the far-right Republican took to Instagram to defend herself, Omar started receiving death threats.

House Progressives strike back

Lauren Boebert currently serves on the House Budget Committee and on the Committee on Natural Resources and its subcommittees on Indigenous Peoples of the United States and Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
Lauren Boebert currently serves on the House Budget Committee and on the Committee on Natural Resources and its subcommittees on Indigenous Peoples of the United States and Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.  © IMAGO / UPI Photo

Many in the CPC agree that this violent behavior toward a colleague cannot go unchecked.

Instead, they want to remove Boebert from her roles on the House Budget Committee and on the Committee on Natural Resources and its subcommittees on Indigenous Peoples of the United States and Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

"Muslims across the country are looking to Congress at this moment, watching to see if those they sent to represent their interests in Washington are going to stand up in the face of blatant, vicious Islamophobia," they wrote.

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"We owe it to them, and to every person who has been the recipient of harassment and verbal abuse based on their religion, race, gender, sexuality, or other identity, to stand up and show them that their votes to send us here mean something – that our values mean something, and are worth defending."

"We stand in solidarity with Rep. Omar, and urge every single one of our colleagues to join us in demanding action."

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire & IMAGO / UPI Photo

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