Lauren Boebert Asked Jewish Visitors At The Capitol If They Were ‘Reconnaissance,’ And People Aren’t Buying Her ‘Joke’ Excuse

Rootin’ tootin’ Rep. Lauren Boebert can’t help herself. She’s chronically tossing out anti-Muslim remarks about her own congressional colleague (Ilhan Omar), and now, it seems that she’s moved on to cracking “jokes” while spotting yarmulke-wearing Jewish visitors at the U.S. Capitol. She might be better off simply tweeting gibberish or confusedly tweeting about John and Samuel Adams and receiving a lesson about the American Revolution, but let’s just say that she’s a lot like Marjorie Taylor Greene in not knowing when to quit.

Buzzfeed News is reporting that Boebert — hot on the heels of an hours-long standoff at a Texas synagogue — left a group of Jewish visitors (several members of which were sporting yarmulkes, led by a coordinator who is Orthodox with a customary beard) “confused” with her remarks. She asked the group if they were “reconnaissance,” which sure as heck suggests that she accused them of the hostile scouting of intel about the enemy. It sounds awfully close to Boebert suggesting that terrorists were afoot (the same mess she pulled on Ilhan Omar, in other words), from this Buzzfeed description:

One witness said the group, along with other members of Congress, was waiting for an elevator. When the doors opened, Boebert stepped out of the elevator and looked the group of visitors “from head to toe,” the witness said. Boebert then asked if they were there to conduct “reconnaissance.”

“When I heard that, I actually turned to the person standing next to me and asked, ‘Did you just hear that?’” a rabbi who was with the group told BuzzFeed News. “You know, I’m not sure to be offended or not,” the rabbi said. “I was very confused.” The rabbi added that “people are very sensitive” now, especially after what happened in Texas this past weekend, when an armed man held four people hostage at a synagogue.

In response to this report, Boebert texted Buzzfeed News to declare, “I saw a large group and made a joke.” She added, “I’m too short to see anyone’s yarmulkes.” And Boebert added that she was only “referencing the many comments that have been directed at her from Democrats” about how she was spotted giving a tour of a tunnel on the Capitol grounds a few days prior to the insurrection. Well, regardless of her “joke” excuse, people sure aren’t buying her explanation that she meant no harm, and they’re calling for action by someone (anyone?) in charge.

(Via Buzzfeed News)