GOP leader backs Rep. Boebert after controversial ‘anti-muslim’ remarks

After Rep Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) Islamophobic joke came to light last week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has defended her.

While many were calling for House leadership to take action against Boebert for her remarks, suggesting, for example, that she be removed from her committee assignments, McCarthy said her remarks were unfortunate, but ultimately a distraction from politics.

“It’s things we would not want to deal with,” he said. “It’s [distracting from] things the American people want to focus on: stopping inflation, gas prices and others. Anything that deviates from that causes problems.”

McCarthy countered claims that Boebert should be punished by asking, “Did any of you raise the question when someone on their side of the aisle said I worked with the Ku Klux Klan, referring to Republicans?” he asked, referencing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez once saying McCarthy was working with the “KKK caucus” to become the minority leader.

“Did anyone on your side of the aisle talk about when Omar said the only reason I support Israel is all about the Benjamins?” He said of Boebert, “She apologized publicly, she apologized personally.”

Last week, a video of Boebert surfaced in which she spoke to a crowd and told a story about how she had been on an elevator with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), calling her the “Jihad Squad”.

She claimed a capitol police officer had been running toward the closing elevator doors. She said she looked over at Omar and thought, “I do have to say she doesn’t have a backpack, she wasn’t dropping it and running so we’re good.” During the speech, she called Omar and Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), another Muslim, “evil and black-hearted”.