Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert apologized after she and a male companion were ushered out of a production of “Beetlejuice” in Denver last weekend for disrupting the show.
Boebert had denied acting inappropriately until surveillance video surfaced showing her disrupting the performance. An incident report said she and her companion were admonished by staff for “vaping, singing, [and] causing a disturbance.”
“There’s no perfect blueprint for going through a public and difficult divorce, which over the past few months has made for a challenging personal time for me and my entire family,” the Republican congressmember wrote on social media Friday night. “I’ve tried to handle it with strength and grace as best I can, but I simply fell short of my values on Sunday. That’s unacceptable and I’m sorry.”
Boebert’s behavior drew ire from other audience members, including her use of a vape during the show. Initially, Boebert denied vaping and claimed that she was removed from the performance simply for being too enthusiastic.
“It’s true, I did thoroughly enjoy the AMAZING Beetlejuice at the Buell Theatre and I plead guilty to laughing and singing too loud!” Boebert wrote on social media.
However, the footage, widely circulated on social media, shows Boebert vaping, blowing smoke into the air, dancing in her seat, taking photos of the performance and giving ushers the middle finger while being escorted out of the theater.
Boebert made statements like, “Do you know who I am?” and “I will be contacting the mayor,” according to an incident report.
Another video appears to show Boebert and her male companion fondling each other sexually during the show.
Boebert did not directly address the second video in her Friday apology. She did mention her vaping but claimed that she had previously denied it only because she “did not recall” having done so.
“Whether it was the excitement of seeing a much-anticipated production or the natural anxiety of being in a new environment, I genuinely did not recall vaping that evening when I discussed the night’s events with my campaign team while confirming my enthusiasm for the musical.”
Boebert was almost defeated for reelection last year and is trying to project a heads-down demeanor in the district — as opposed to her rabble-rousing persona in Washington — as she faces a rematch with the same Democrat.
