Lauren Boebert Praises 'Most Productive Week' After Speaker Chaos

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert, who was among the Republican defectors frustrating Kevin McCarthy's attempts to be elected as House Speaker in 14 consecutive votes between January 3 and 7, has said last week was "the most productive and functional assembly of the House of Representatives" she's seen since she's come into office.

"What a week, huh? I'm sure things here in D.C. looked pretty messy from home, but I'm a mom of four boys so chaos and disfunction have been a part of my life for quite some time," Boebert said in a video published on her Twitter account on Sunday, January 7.

"Actually this was the most productive and functional assembly of the House of Representatives I've seen since I've been here. Sure, it took a few extra days, but our conversations have proven it's OK to take a little extra time to make sure we get this right," she added.

Lauren Boebert
U.S. Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert (R-CO) delivers remarks in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 5, 2023, in Washington, DC. Boebert... Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Colorado congresswoman was one of at least 20 Republicans who brought Congress to a standstill last week, impeding the candidacy of Trump-endorsed candidate McCarthy, who fell shy of obtaining the necessary majority to be elected as House Speaker for 14 consecutive votes—a record in U.S. history.

Boebert, together with Florida congressman Matt Gaetz and other colleagues—most of whom were fellow members of the Freedom Caucus and fellow election deniers—openly defied the former president's call to rally around McCarthy and "take the victory," and stood their ground against the California Representative.

Finally, McCarthy was elected as House Speaker in the 15th round of votes early on Saturday, after he was seen personally approaching Boebert and Gaetz. The two still did not vote in support of McCarthy, but they both voted "present" on the 15th ballot—allowing the Republican to secure the speaker's gavel.

The grueling, lengthy process of McCarthy's election revealed a deep rift within the Republican Party, forcing even apparent long-time allies like Boebert and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to clash publicly.

But despite the humiliation suffered by the now newly elected House Speaker—which many worry could undermine his authority in Congress—Boebert thinks it was worth it, if only for the concessions she and her fellow Republican hard-liners obtained by McCarthy.

"Everyone knows Congress is broken, but we just took a giant step toward mending it. History will show our result changed how Congress operates," Boebert said in the video published on Twitter.

According to CNN, among the concessions McCarthy made to swerve the Republican defectors on his side are the option for any member to call for a motion to vacate the speaker's chair, more Freedom of Caucus representation on committees—including the House Rules Committee—and giving representatives 72 hours to review bills before they come to the floor.

"Because we stood strong and held our ground, we will now have the opportunity to vote on term limits. Because we stood strong, we will vote on border security. Because we stood strong, we won't be forced to vote on thousand-page bills in the dead of night without having time to read them. Instead we'll tackle appropriation through our committees, we will be able to offer amendments," Boebert said in the Twitter video.

"Our success this week is truly a win for everyone who believes in representative government," Boebert added. "And Congress is better off because of this fight."

Newsweek has contacted Boebert for comment.

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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more