Rep. Ayanna Pressley Introduces Resolution to Remove Boebert From Committee Assignments
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) is introducing a resolution, cosigned by other progressive House Democrats, that would strip Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of her committee assignments for her anti-Muslim and racist comments toward Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
The resolution will be sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who’ll decide whether or not to move forward with a vote.
One Democrat told CNN on Wednesday morning that no final decisions have been made about how to deal with Boebert, but one option that has been discussed is potentially referring the matter to the House Ethics Committee. That move would be a way to avoid a cycle of leadership always having to take floor action unilaterally.
On Wednesday, Rep. Ayanna Pressley said House members are introducing a resolution to remove Rep. Lauren Boebert from committee assignments to send a message to ‘every marginalized person who has ever questioned their place in this country … we see you’ pic.twitter.com/drRwRA0TnK
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) December 9, 2021
The Democratic member who spoke anonymously to CNN also pointed out that Boebert’s continual digging in is building pressure, adding, “I think it is putting kerosene on a fire.”
House Progressives have introduced a bill demanding Lauren Boebert be stripped of committee assignments for her bigotry and hatred.
It's the bare minimum.
She should be EXPELLED.— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) December 9, 2021
Speaker Pelosi wouldn’t answer directly when she was asked by reporters on Wednesday if she supported the resolution. The Speaker repeated her call for GOP leadership to punish members of their conference. “It’s the responsibility of Republicans to discipline their members,” Speaker Pelosi said pointedly, once again referring to how GOP House leadership has declined to take any action against Boebert since she her remarks have been widely circulated.
Lauren Boebert is a total racist and deranged. I wrote a letter to @RepJudyChu to call for stripping Boebert from all her Committee assignments.
Please send a letter to your Rep by hitting the link below. It takes 5 seconds, if even that. https://t.co/EEWD1jrzDp
— Ray 鄺羡華 (@raykwong) December 9, 2021
Boebert originally offered an apology to “anyone in the Muslim community I offended” following the initial reporting of her anti-Muslim comments. However, she declined to apologize directly to Omar and held an unproductive phone call with the Minnesota Democrat.
Rep. Omar’s statement on her conversation with Rep. Lauren Boebert. pic.twitter.com/B5JJVijXKI
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) November 29, 2021
Rep. Omar had called on both Speaker Pelosi and House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to take action against Boebert, and called the language “hateful and dangerous.”
Doesn’t seem like McCarthy is too eager to tackle bigoted comments made by his members pic.twitter.com/imk0jOja1o
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 9, 2021
Republicans have stripped committee assignments from its members in the past, as was the case with former Rep. Steve King of Iowa in January 2019, following racist remarks. McCarthy recently called Boebert’s antics “a distraction” but has declined to make a push for Boebert to lose her committee posts; nor did he push for Gosar or Greene to lose their assignments.
I'm hosting a press conference on my resolution to hold Rep. Boebert accountable and remove her from committee assignments.
There must be accountability.https://t.co/t3BSAEyPw6
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) December 8, 2021
[This is a developing story, please check back for updates]