Thursday, U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) participated in her first-ever House Committee on Natural Resources hearing in the form of the Committee’s organizational meeting for the 117th Congress.
No bipartisan conversation here.
Congresswoman Boebert defended the Second Amendment of the Constitution and opposed an unconstitutional stunt from House Democrats in the form of a Committee rule change that would ban firearms in the Committee hearing and conference rooms.
During the hearing, Ranking Member Bruce Westerman offered an amendment requesting the use of available audio and visual equipment to conduct and improve hybrid hearings.
Some Members currently prefer to be in the Committee room to conduct official business if possible and other Members prefer to be virtual right now citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Westerman amendment would have improved the flow and operations of the hearing.
Boebert said in a statement, “Rather than embracing this much-needed amendment, Chairman Grijalva engaged in partisan politics and went on a rant attacking Republican members of the Committee with bogus and insensitive claims about not being responsible or caring about the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Chairman Grijalva said, “Insisting on being in the room is a political decision and on the backs of people who are sick and dying. It’s an attempt to undercut public health advice and pretend the pandemic is a hoax. The committee will not use it’s resources so that members can somehow pretend they are somehow tougher and more fearless than people who take the pandemic seriously.”
“We will not use our resources to protect anybody’s ego particularly the former President’s whose approach to the COVID was wishing one day like a miracle it’s going to disappear,” said Grijalva, “This Committee will not use its resources to enable stunts that downplay the severity of this crisis.”
Congresswoman Boebert shot back, “I ask for the Chairman’s words to be taken down, this is intent. I ask to be recognized, the Chairman’s words should be taken down, he’s expressing intent and motive that we believe that this virus is a hoax…I ask the Chairman’s words be taken down.”
Chairman Grijalva, responded, “Yes, I retain the opposition for the reasons I just stated. The statement is withdrawn.”
Boebert said, “House Democrats’ partisan stunts were on full display today during our first Resources Committee hearing—from Rep. Huffman wearing a tinfoil hat, to new Committee rules attempting to unconstitutionally ban guns, to the Chairman directing a hateful and illegitimate tirade at Republicans—It’s hard to say how low they will sink in the future, but you can take it to the bank that I won’t stand for their crap. If these leftists don’t want to show up and do real work, this won’t be the last time Chairman Grijalva has to apologize.”