Boebert Slams Media as ‘Fan Fiction’ After Ethics Complaint Alleging Affairs With Aides

Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado posted a video on X on Sunday pushing back against what she called a press-driven smear campaign after a Sept. 17 ethics complaint accused her of sexual relationships with three of her congressional staffers — allegations she denies.

Video Statement

In a clip running just over two minutes, recorded outdoors near a lake, Boebert addressed the camera directly with emphatic gestures. She accused reporters of running an unverified story and of failing to check House Ethics rules before publishing the aides' names and photos.

“You all ran a smear and called it news … It’s a scam, and you fell for it,” Boebert said, adding: “I hate to spoil the fan fiction, but y’all need to do better.”

The Complaint

The complaint, filed Sept. 17 with the House Committee on Ethics by David B. Wheeler of American Muckrakers, names former District Director Clarice Navarro, current District Chief of Staff Raven Finegan and former Chief of Staff Jeffrey Small. It alleges Boebert had sexual relations with the three aides and that one aide received a $200,000 payment. The filing has not produced public evidence supporting those claims.

Boebert’s Denial And Office Statement

Boebert denied the allegations publicly, telling Sources Say News she has never been involved in an inappropriate relationship with staff. Her office called the filing “utterly false,” describing it as “a politically motivated stunt designed to manipulate the ethics process, create headlines, smear her, and generate clickbait.”

Rules And Possible Committee Action

House rules adopted in 2018 prohibit members from engaging in sexual relations with employees they supervise, even if consensual — except for spouses. Boebert pointed to committee procedures that require a member’s written certification for a complaint submitted by a nonmember and note that complaints filed within 60 days of an election in which the subject is a candidate must be returned to the complainant and cannot be accepted.

Those procedural limits do not necessarily prevent the House Ethics Committee from investigating on its own initiative or acting on a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics. It is unclear whether the committee has opened a formal review of this matter.

Context And Past Claims

Boebert also criticized the complainant’s record. In 2022, Wheeler published allegations that Boebert had worked as an escort; that report was later criticized for including images of a different woman. The current filing revisits some of those contested claims. Others named in the recent filing have publicly disputed the accusations: Boebert’s ex-husband called the reported affair “a fairy tale made up propaganda,” and Navarro Ratzlaff has also denied the claims.

The complaint additionally references an alleged encounter involving former Representative Matt Gaetz. Gaetz responded on X requesting anyone with video evidence to release it; neither the complainant nor the group has produced any such footage.

What’s Next

The complaint has heightened attention ahead of the November election in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, where Boebert is seeking reelection. For now, no public evidence has been produced to substantiate the allegations, and the House Ethics Committee’s review status remains unclear.