Denver Post editorial board defends Boebert against ‘blatantly sexist and elitist attacks’

The Denver Post’s editorial board is defending Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) against “blatantly sexist and elitist attacks” amid the “unsubstantiated claims” that members of a U.S. Capitol tour she hosted rioted at the complex days later.

The board, which endorsed Boebert’s opponent, said it could not “sit idly by without condemning” the “sexist and elitist” criticisms against the first-term Republican as allegations that she or her family contributed to the deadly riot circulate on social media. 

“It’s disgusting to circulate sexualized photos of Boebert under the guise of political scrutiny,” the editors wrote. “It’s unprofessional to call her a ‘bimbo’ or use other terms reserved only for women with power. And referencing her education in a demeaning manner will only alienate the millions of Americans who also have not gone to college or graduated from high school.” 

The board dismissed the allegations, saying there is “no evidence” that Boebert held tours for “would-be insurgents” or that her mother was in the mob of former President Trump’s supporters who stormed the Capitol as Congress was certifying now-President Biden’s electoral win. 

“Boebert deserves to be judged on the merit of her ideas, on her actions and on her words, which are damning enough, without her critics fabricating tours or circulating grainy photos of protesters next to photos of her mother,” the editors wrote. “That’s as bad as the Antifa-led-the-insurrection conspiracies.”

The staff editorial also labeled Rep. Steve Cohen’s (D-Tenn.) claims that Boebert gave a tour in the days before the riots as “intentionally misleading,” saying it led to accusations of sedition and treason “on the very thinnest of evidence.”

Cohen’s office did not immediately return a request for comment on the editorial board’s criticism.

The board noted that it has called for an investigation into Boebert’s potential role in the riot, saying she “should be held accountable for the misleading way she talked about the election.” 

But it added that the fact that Boebert “is getting a taste of her own medicine — unsubstantiated claims spreading like wildfire on social media — does not make it right.”

The Post’s staff editorial noted that her history of minor arrests and her GED education “should not be used as a trope or to fuel derision,” as Colorado voters were aware of these facts when they elected her.

“So far, there’s not much we agree with Boebert on, but she is right that there is no evidence she gave tours to insurrectionists to assist them with the Capitol attack, and the personal attacks she faces on social media are disgusting,” the board concluded. 

Earlier this week, Boebert sent a letter to Cohen calling his allegations “categorically false” and “extraordinarily irresponsible.”

“Your false statements are extraordinarily irresponsible during this period in time,” she wrote. “Your carelessness has already resulted in multiple media sources and tweets spreading false information which has resulted in threats to my safety as well as the safety of my family and Congressional staff.”