OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert does not have a ton of love for Democrat Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and she is not shy about letting everyone know.
At a campaign event on Thursday, she shared a story, likely a fictitious story as a quip, about an encounter with Omar.
“I have an Ilhan story for you,” the Republican congresswoman said to supporters. “The other night on the House floor was not my first Jihad Squad moment.”
“I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers, and, he and I, we’re leaving the Capitol . We’re going back to my office, and we get in the elevator, and I see a Capitol Police officer running hurriedly to the elevator,” she said. “I see fret all over his face, and he’s reaching, and I’m like, the door is shutting, like, I can’t open it, like, what is happening?”
She said that after the doors to the elevator had shut she noticed that Omar was in the elevator with her.
“I look to my left, and there she is, Ilhan Omar,” the representative said. “I said, ‘Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine.'”
“I looked over, and I said, ‘Oh, look, the Jihad Squad decided to show up for work today,’” she said.
Over the Thanksgiving break, Lauren Boebert said she was recently in a Capitol elevator with Ilhan Omar when a fretful Capitol police officer ran up.
Lauren Boebert said: “Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine.”
Boebert then called Ilhan Omar, “jihad squad.” pic.twitter.com/Y7f0nFbnud
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 25, 2021
A furious Omar has vehemently denied that the incident described by Rep. Boebert did not happen.
“Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout. Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized. Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation,” she said.
Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout.
Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized. Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation. https://t.co/S1APT7RbqW
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 26, 2021
“Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress,” she said.
Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress. https://t.co/A0VxI3uTmH pic.twitter.com/QTmqaGaZrM
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 26, 2021
Other Democrats also were swinging at Boebert on Friday.
“It is incredibly dangerous for a sitting member of Congress to espouse and spread Islamophobia and hatred. @IlhanMN is one of the most respected members of Congress and a national leader. She represents the future. That’s why she’s occupying their minds rent free,” Rep. Jamaal Bowman said.
It is incredibly dangerous for a sitting member of Congress to espouse and spread Islamophobia and hatred.@IlhanMN is one of the most respected members of Congress and a national leader. She represents the future. That’s why she’s occupying their minds rent free. https://t.co/wfM8FspAkl
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) November 26, 2021
“These pathetic racist lies will not only endanger the life of @IlhanMN, but will increase hate crimes towards Muslims. The continued silence & inaction towards this hate-filled colleague and others is enabling violence. It must stop,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
These pathetic racist lies will not only endanger the life of @IlhanMN, but will increase hate crimes towards Muslims.
The continued silence & inaction towards this hate-filled colleague and others is enabling violence. It must stop.https://t.co/wVsOs6Hf73
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 26, 2021
“Shameful, deeply offensive & dangerous. Yet another blatant display of Islamophobia targeting @IlhanMN,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said. “These comments are personally hurtful, legitimately endanger her & the broader Muslim community. Rhetoric like this must be denounced & anyone spewing it held to account.”
Shameful, deeply offensive & dangerous. Yet another blatant display of Islamophobia targeting @IlhanMN These comments are personally hurtful, legitimately endanger her & the broader Muslim community. Rhetoric like this must be denounced & anyone spewing it held to account. https://t.co/5m3Qykn2WM
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) November 26, 2021
But there were conservatives who defended Rep. Boebert.
“No, I don’t care at all that @laurenboebert was mean to brother-curious, America-hating, jihadi-tolerating commie ingrate @Ilhan. Conservatives, stop trying to please people who hate you by tone policing your own side. They will still hate you, but they will laugh at you too,” Kurt Schlichter said.
No, I don’t care at all that @laurenboebert was mean to brother-curious, America-hating, jihadi-tolerating commie ingrate @Ilhan.
Conservatives, stop trying to please people who hate you by tone policing your own side. They will still hate you, but they will laugh at you too.
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) November 26, 2021
“Funny how @jaketapperhas his panties in a wad about @laurenboebert implying Ilhan Omar is a terrorist. Yet Jake seems okay with calling parents and half the country domestic terrorists for speaking up or voting for Trump. Jake’s indignation is better directed at, well, himself!” conservative author and commentator Dinesh D’Souza said.
Funny how @jaketapper has his panties in a wad about @laurenboebert implying Ilhan Omar is a terrorist. Yet Jake seems okay with calling parents and half the country domestic terrorists for speaking up or voting for Trump. Jake’s indignation is better directed at, well, himself!
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) November 26, 2021
For her part, Rep. Boebert did apologize to Rep. Omar and the Muslim community.
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.
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) November 26, 2021
“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.