Lauren Boebert Gripes That Congress Is ‘So Horny’ 3 Years After Her Alleged Public ‘Groping’ Scandal: ‘Go to Church’

Rep. Lauren Boebert ignited controversy Thursday after questioning the conduct of lawmakers following the abrupt resignations of Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales amid sexual misconduct allegations.

“Go to church, find Jesus. Like, why is everybody so horny here?” Boebert told reporters outside the Capitol on April 16, before walking away. The remarks came as Congress reels from back-to-back departures that have intensified concerns over ethics and accountability on Capitol Hill.

Swalwell, a California Democrat, resigned earlier in the week while denying the most serious accusations against him. In a statement, he acknowledged “mistakes in judgment” but vowed to fight what he described as false allegations. Multiple women have accused him of sexual misconduct, including rape, in reports published by the San Francisco Chronicle and aired on CNN.

One accuser, Lonna Drewes, alleged during a Los Angeles news conference that Swalwell drugged, choked, and raped her in a 2018 hotel encounter. “While he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” she said, describing the incident. Swalwell has also suspended his campaign for California governor in the wake of the allegations.

Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, also stepped down after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide. His resignation followed bipartisan calls for expulsion, underscoring growing impatience in Congress with misconduct cases that often linger without resolution.

Boebert, a Republican firebrand, argued both men should have been formally expelled rather than allowed to resign, and said she plans to push measures to strip them of congressional pensions. She also indicated support for a censure resolution targeting Swalwell.

Her blunt criticism, however, has drawn renewed attention to her own past controversies. In 2023, Boebert was removed from a performance at the Buell Theatre during a showing of Beetlejuice musical. Venue reports and surveillance footage indicated she had been vaping and engaging in disruptive behavior, including inappropriate physical contact with her companion.

Boebert later apologized, attributing the incident to personal difficulties, including a “public and difficult divorce.” She acknowledged her behavior “fell short” of her values.

The latest episode highlights a broader reckoning within Congress, where allegations of sexual misconduct—spanning both parties—continue to test institutional norms and public trust.