Politics: Lauren Boebert Apologizes to Muslims for Ilhan Omar Comment, Calls It a 'Distraction'

Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert on Friday issued an apology to the Muslim community for recent comments she has made about Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

© Alex Wong/Getty Images U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) on Friday issued an apology on Twitter to the Muslim community for recent comments she has made about Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Above, Boebert waits for the beginning of a news conference in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on July 1, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

Boebert referred to her Democratic colleague as a member of the "Jihad Squad" during a discussion about the censure of fellow Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona earlier this month. Boebert received further criticism this week after a video surfaced in which she discussed riding an elevator with Omar.

Lauren Boebert ripped for 'hateful and dangerous' Islamophobic story about Ilhan Omar: 'Well, she doesn't have a backpack. We should be fine'

"This whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout," Omar said, also calling Boebert a "buffoon."A video posted on Twitter on Thursday by PatriotTakes — an organization that researches and monitors "the extremism and radicalization of the far right" — showed Boebert at a campaign event recounting a supposed run-in with Omar at the US Capitol where they both work in the House of Representatives.

In the video, Boebert said the House discussion was "not my first Jihad Squad moment." She went on to describe noticing Omar in the elevator and said, "Well, she doesn't have a backpack. We should be fine."

Omar called Boebert a "buffoon" while responding Thursday to a clip of the video that was shared on social media and said Boebert's "whole story is made up."

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

"Anti-Muslim bigotry isn't funny & shouldn't be normalized," Omar tweeted. "Congress can't be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation."

Ilhan Omar hangs up on Lauren Boebert after anti-Muslim attack

Democrats are now pushing to strip Rep. Lauren Boebert of House committee seats after her anti-Muslim comments Ilhan Omar and Lauren Boebert Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images

On Friday, Boebert tweeted an apology and said she had reached out to Omar's office "to speak with her directly."

"I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar," Boebert's tweet said. Her message concluded by saying, "There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction."

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

Newsweek reached out to Omar's office for comment.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Related Articles

• Lauren Boebert Faces Calls to Be Censured as Ilhan Omar Remarks Anger Democrats
• Ilhan Omar Calls Lauren Boebert 'Buffoon' Over Jihad Squad Remarks
• Lauren Boebert's 'Jihad Squad' Rant Goes Viral, Prompts Backlash

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