House

Police investigating incident involving Boebert, ex-husband: Reports

Police are investigating an incident involving Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and her former husband, Jayson Boebert, at a restaurant in Silt, Colo., on Saturday night, according to multiple news outlets.

Silt Police Chief Mike Kite confirmed to The Denver Post, The Washington Post and The Denver Gazette that police were investigating the incident, which he said took place at Miner’s Claim restaurant in Silt, in western Colorado. Kite declined to provide news outlets with additional details on the incident, but he confirmed the congresswoman and her former husband were involved.

The Daily Beast was the first to report on the incident, which it indicated involved a physical altercation.

The Hill has reached out to Kite for confirmation and comment.

Kite said he would review surveillance footage and told The Denver Gazette, “We are treating this case no differently than we would anyone else.”

In a statement Monday to The Hill, the congresswoman denied initiating a physical attack and said she would consult with her lawyer about “false claims” made against her.

“This is a sad situation for all that keeps escalating and another reason I’m moving. I didn’t punch Jayson in the face and no one was arrested. I will be consulting with my lawyer about the false claims he made against me and evaluate all of my legal options.”

Boebert filed for divorce in 2023, and it was finalized a few months later. She and her former husband were married for nearly 18 years and have four sons together.

This is not Boebert’s first highly publicized interaction with law enforcement. In September, she was escorted out of a production of “Beetlejuice” at the Denver Performing Arts Center after fellow patrons complained about some of her alleged disruptive behavior.

Late December 2023, Boebert announced she would not be running for reelection in her district, Colorado’s Third Congressional District, but would instead run to replace retiring Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who represents the more conservative Fourth Congressional District.

In doing so, she opted to avoid a tough rematch with Democratic opponent Adam Frisch, who had already announced his campaign for Boebert’s seat. In 2022, the race had become highly nationalized. Boebert ultimately beat Frisch by 546 votes, or less than half a percentage point, and Frisch conceded before the automatic recount was complete.

In her video announcing her intention to run for her neighboring district, Boebert reflected on what she described as a particularly difficult year for her personally, noting her divorce.

“Personally, this announcement is a fresh start following a pretty difficult year for me and my family. I’ve never been in politics before, and I’ve never been through a divorce – something I never intended to go through,” Boebert said in the December video.

“I’ve made my own personal mistakes and have owned up and apologized for them. It’s tested my faith, my strength and my abilities both as a mom and a congresswoman. It’s been humbling and challenging, but it’s also given me perspective and helped me grow. I cannot put into words how grateful I am for everyone who has steadfastly stood alongside of me in the third district and across America.”

Updated at 2:13 p.m. Jan. 8