Rep. Lauren Boebert secured a temporary restraining order against David Wheeler, who filed a House Ethics Committee complaint alleging she had affairs with three staffers. A Weld County judge found Wheeler posed "a credible risk" and ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away. The complaint claims encounters occurred in official settings and that a $200,000 payment was arranged to silence a former aide; that aide denies the allegations. Boebert called the filing a politically motivated smear, while Wheeler says his sources are ready to testify and plans to sue for defamation.
Lauren Boebert Secures Temporary Restraining Order After Ethics Complaint Alleging Affairs
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert has been granted a restraining order against the man who filed a House Ethics Committee complaint alleging that she had affairs with male and female staffers (AFP/Getty)
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has been granted a temporary restraining order against the man who filed a House Ethics Committee complaint accusing her of having sexual relationships with both male and female staffers.
The complaint was submitted on Sept. 17 by David Wheeler, a North Carolina-based co-founder of the Democratic-aligned political action committee American Muckrakers. On Thursday, a Weld County judge issued a protection order, finding that Wheeler posed "a credible risk of physical harm or a threat of physical, psychological and emotional harm," according to CBS Colorado. The judge ordered Wheeler to remain at least 100 yards away from Boebert.
The filing, first reported by the Colorado Times Recorder, alleges Boebert had relationships with three staff members: former district director Clarice Navarro, chief of staff Raven Finegan, and former chief of staff Jeffrey Small. It says some encounters took place during official hours, in a district office and in hotel rooms allegedly paid for by a campaign committee.
"A credible risk of physical harm or a threat of physical, psychological and emotional harm." — Weld County judge, as reported by CBS Colorado
The complaint also alleges that a $200,000 payment was arranged to secure Navarro's silence after she purportedly threatened to file her own ethics complaint. Navarro has denied the claims, calling them "entirely false and defamatory."
Boebert denounced media reports alleging she had affairs with staff members, dismissing the claims as 'salacious bull****' (@laurenboebert, X)
Wheeler told CBS Colorado that one of his sources is the ex-husband of one of the staff members and said both sources are "ready and willing to testify under oath and provide receipts without subpoena." Jace Ratzlaff, identified in reporting as Navarro's ex-husband, denied being a source and told the outlet he took a polygraph test to refute the claim, calling Wheeler's allegations "toxic."
Boebert, who faces re-election in November, noted that Wheeler filed the complaint 47 days before Election Day and pointed out that House Ethics rules generally bar consideration of complaints filed within 60 days of an election. In a statement, she called the filing "ridiculous, reckless, and politically motivated," and said the complaint was a political smear published before its eligibility was checked.
Wheeler has said his sources are prepared to testify and that he plans to file a defamation lawsuit against Boebert. He told Fox31 his attorney will serve her in Weld County Court and has criticized Boebert's denials as political deflection.
The Independent has contacted both Wheeler and Boebert's office for comment. Brendan Rascius contributed to reporting on this story.
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