Photo courtesy of CNN
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebart refused to apologize for remarks she made in a video stating Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar was a suicide bomber, as well as describing the representative as “black-hearted” and “evil.”
In September, the Republican representative attended a fundraiser dinner in Staten Island, N.Y., making several remarks, including Omar’s Muslamic faith and members of the Muslim community. Then, Boebart signaled a sigh of relief by saying Democrat Omar didn’t pose a threat because she wasn’t wearing a backpack, per CNN
and Business Insider.“One of my staffers on his first day with me got into an elevator in the Capitol. And in that elevator, we were joined by Ilhan Omar. Well, it was just us three in there. So I looked over and said, “Well, looky there, it’s the Jihad Squad.”
The video was taken by someone who attended the event and later posted on Facebook. CNN’s K-File discovered it on Tuesday.
Boebart also attacked Democratic colleagues Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Minnesota, suggesting they, as wells as Omar, were “black-hearted” and “evil” women during the event.
The second video surfaced after Boebart refused to apologize for a separate incident that occurred last week. Instead, she explained the same story about her and Omar sharing an elevator.
The Republican representative apologized by making a statement on Twitter and said, “I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep Omar.” “I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction,” she said
The two colleagues had a phone conversation on Monday after the video surfaced on social media. However, Omar said the representative ended the phone call without apologizing for the remarks she made.
Boebert said in a video following the call: “As a strong Christian woman who values faith deeply, I never want anything I say to offend someone’s religion. So I told her that.”