Since the release of the House Ethics Committee report detailing serious allegations against Matt Gaetz, including accusations of paying women for sexual activities, many Republicans—once vocal defenders of Gaetz—have opted for silence. This includes figures like Lauren Boebert, who had previously stood by Gaetz. The report has been a political bombshell, particularly due to one of the women allegedly being 17 years old at the time, an accusation that carries profound legal and moral implications.
Despite the severity of the allegations, Boebert has avoided addressing the controversy, focusing instead on other issues like a tragic incident in New York City’s subway. Boebert’s silence, as well as Marjorie Taylor Greene’s similar avoidance of the topic, seems to be part of a broader strategy to downplay or deflect from the scandal. Rather than condemning Gaetz’s actions, both have opted to distract their followers with other narratives, such as pushing their anti-immigrant rhetoric or politicizing unrelated events.
Boebert’s actions, or lack thereof, suggest that she is sticking by Gaetz, as evidenced by her retweeting a post from him, where he criticized the ethics report as part of a “lefty-liberal media” smear campaign. The note allegedly from Donald Trump calling the report “very unfair” further shows how Boebert and other allies of Gaetz are framing the controversy: as a conspiracy rather than a legitimate investigation into serious allegations.
This consistent defense of Gaetz—despite the gravity of the accusations—reflects the deeper political culture of denial that pervades certain corners of the Republican Party. Boebert’s failure to address the issue directly reveals a troubling pattern where protecting political allies takes precedence over addressing wrongdoing, and when confronted with uncomfortable truths, the response is often to discredit or deflect rather than confront the facts head-on. It’s a stance that continues to frustrate critics who see it as yet another example of partisan loyalty trumping principles of accountability and justice.