Lauren Boebert Scolded After Arguing With Witness During Hearing

Representative Lauren Boebert was scolded by committee leadership and reminded about House rules after she verbally sparred with a witness during an oversight hearing.

Boebert, a Colorado Republican, went back and forth with New York University professor Sally Katzen, who appeared Wednesday as a minority witness before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability for a hearing titled "Death by a Thousand Regulations: The Biden Administration's Campaign to Bury America in Red Tape."

Boebert ranted at Katzen during her time on the floor, speaking over the witness when the professor began to answer her questions. After refusing to wait for Katzen's response, the two sparred multiple times over a span of minutes as Katzen called out Boebert, and Boebert barreled over Katzen's words.

When Boebert yielded her time, Ranking Member Representative Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, asked the committee's chairman, Republican Representative James Comer of Kentucky, to address his colleague's behavior, saying that, "An insult is not a substitute for an argument."

"The chair would advise members to adhere to the House standard of decorum and proceed in order," Comer told the committee.

Newsweek reached out to Boebert via email for comment.

Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who was the next committee member to be called on by Comer, began her allotted time by apologizing to Katzen, saying Boebert's aggressive questioning was "uncalled for."

"Let me do what [Boebert] would never do, which is to be an adult in this room, or in this chamber," Crockett said.

During the hearing, Boebert asked Katzen whether she agreed with changes within the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that were not delegated by Congress. When Katzen began to answer, Boebert plowed through her response, providing additional background about the matter she was asking about. Katzen was able to get out a sentence the second time Boebert paused but was interrupted again.

When Katzen tried to respond to Boebert's questioning for a third time, she was told, "No ma'am it's my time. Thank you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, so you are not interested in my views?" Katzen asked. Boebert replied by reiterating it was her turn to speak.

Katzen appeared to give up trying to answer Boebert's questions as the hearing continued.

At one point, Boebert made a dig at Katzen, suggesting the professor had a "$2.5 million home."

"Excuse me, I really take that as a personal....I disagree that you're casting aspersions on me," Katzen said.

Boebert then said her time had expired.