BEAVER CREEK, Colorado | Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican, lashed out Friday at President Biden after she spoke to a Colorado mother whose son was among the Marines killed in Afghanistan on Thursday, saying that “his blood is on Joe Biden’s hands.”
In remarks at the Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference, Ms. Boebert said she talked with a woman in her western Colorado district who lost her son in the Thursday terrorist attack at the Kabul airport that left at least 13 military members dead and 18 injured.
“I just had one of the most disturbing phone calls I’ve ever experienced in my entire life,” Ms. Boebert said. “I had to pull the car over and speak to a new Gold Star mother in my district. Her son since [he was] 8 years old has spoken about serving our country.
“But yesterday was inexcusable. Yesterday, he was one of the 13 Marines that we lost in vain in Afghanistan.
“And I make no apology after hearing the voice of his mother in saying that his blood is on Joe Biden’s hands,” Ms. Boebert said. “Her son was murdered yesterday because of this poor execution of getting our troops, our American citizens out of Afghanistan. This has been disgusting and shameful.”
The names of the 13 slain service members have not been released, but Ms. Boebert’s office said the Marine was Rylee McCollum of Wyoming and that his mother lives in the congresswoman’s district.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon on Friday ordered the U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff until Monday to honor Lance Cpl. McCollum, who was 20.
“I’m devastated to learn Wyoming lost one of our own in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Kabul,” Mr. Gordon said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Rylee McCollum of Bondurant. Jennie and I, along with all of Wyoming and the entire country thank Rylee for his service.”
.@laurenboebert says she spoke today to a new #GoldStar mother, who is part of her district. This mother’s son was one do true Marines who died in the #KabulAttack this week. #freedomconference
— The Steamboat Institute (@Steamboat_Inst) August 27, 2021
Ms. Boebert drew enthusiastic applause after announcing that her office is drafting articles of impeachment “for everyone who is involved in this,” referring to the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
She urged House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to bring House Republicans back even if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refuses to do so before the chamber’s recess ends Sept. 20.
Mr. McCarthy called Thursday on the House to reconvene before President Biden’s self-imposed Aug. 31 deadline to evacuate Americans, which Pelosi deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill dismissed on Twitter as “empty stunts & distraction.”
The House returned on Monday and Tuesday to pass the $3.5 trillion budget framework and infrastructure plan, then went back into recess until Sept. 20.
“If we can be called back into session to bring about trillions and trillions of debt to the national debt, to talk about so-called infrastructure and a sham budget reconciliation, we damn sure can be called back to Congress for this,” Ms. Boebert said to applause.
The 13th annual conference at the Park Hyatt drew 370 attendees, the largest crowd in the conservative institute’s history. The two-day event ends Saturday.
Also speaking were Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Woodson Center founder Robert L. Woodson, economist Arthur Laffer, University of California Berkeley law professor John Yoo, and retired Vanderbilt University professor Carol Swain.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.