Anger as Boebert refers to ‘jihad squad’ in debate about Republican video depicting murder of AOC

Republican has a long history of bigoted comments

Lauren Boebert has referred to Ilhan Omar as the “jihad squad member from Minnesota” during a House debate on Wednesday.

Ms Boebert faced intense criticism on social media for the inflammatory comment during a debate over whether Paul Gosar should be censured for posting an anime clip depicting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being killed.

Boebert labels Ilhan Omar a member of "the Jihad squad" and smears her with unfounded conspiracy theories pic.twitter.com/lhOIPJRlgG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 17, 2021

Ms Boebert also spread an unfounded smear that Ms Omar had paid $1m in campaign funds to “her husband, and not her brother-husband but the other one”.

“While she’s insulting her colleagues and blowing racist dogwhistles, folks in her district are struggling to get by,” wrote Donald Valdez, a Democrat who is running to unseat Ms Boebert in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

Bakari Sellers, a former Member of Congress from South Carolina, said: “How is Lauren Boebert a member of Congress?”

How is @laurenboebert a member of Congress?

— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) November 17, 2021

“This is racist and disgusting,” wrote another person on Twitter.

SE Cupp, a CNN contributor and host, said: “There are simply no words for Boebert. She doesn’t deserve any, and I don’t feel like trying.”

There are simply no words for Boebert. She doesn’t deserve any, and I don’t feel like trying.

— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) November 17, 2021

“Just vile s***,” Huffington Post reporter Christopher Mathias said.

Today has been a good reminder of what the consequences would be of the GOP taking control of one or both chambers of Congress following the midterms. This is an unhinged, dangerous, bigoted, irredeemable party.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 17, 2021

Aaron Rupar, a journalist who tracks right-wing extremism, said: “Today has been a good reminder of what the consequences would be of the GOP taking control of one or both chambers of Congress following the midterms.

“This is an unhinged, dangerous, bigoted, irredeemable party.”

The Squad is a term used to describe progressive, minority members of the Democratic Party in the House of Congress, including Ms Omar, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib.

On Tuesday, the home of Ms Boebert’s former campaign manager Tina Peters was raided by the FBI.