Even though they’re already suspected of having played a role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) are now making what they insist are jokes about using explosives to blow up metal detectors at the U.S. Capitol.
Over the weekend, Gaetz was speaking at a campaign event for Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R-FL), who is seeking to join Boebert and Gaetz in Congress when he began to complain about metal detectors at the Capitol, according to Mediaite:
Gaetz mentioned Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) objection to the metal detectors that were installed in the Capitol complex shortly after the Jan. 6 riot. Multiple Republican lawmakers loudly complained about the metal detectors, claiming they were a violation of their constitutional rights, and Boebert was among those who attempted to circumvent the screening by walking around the metal detectors or refusing to allow her bag to be searched.
Boebert, said Gaetz during his remarks Saturday, was a “5 foot nothing woman” who “carries a firearm for her personal protection,” but the metal detectors on the House floor were installed after “they got triggered by that.”
“I said, man, is it, is it ‘tannonite’ [sic] or C4 we want to put in those metal detectors and we blow ’em up,” said Gaetz as Sabatini clapped and the crowd laughed and cheered.
Here’s the video:
Later, Gaetz doubled down on his remarks, posting this on Twitter:
If you can’t fantasize about blowing up useless metal detectors with @laurenboebert at a Florida Halloween political rally for @AnthonySabatini, when can you?https://t.co/VKGnegLGBy
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 31, 2021
Boebert expressed her support for what Gaetz had said:
I’ll bring the Tannerite! https://t.co/E8tpandzBo
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 31, 2021
She then tried to hedge her remarks:
To the fools who think this would be done inside the Capitol: get a life!
The metal detectors are useless and we are getting rid of them when Republicans take back the House.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 31, 2021
Twitter users were not the least bit amused, and they let Boebert and Gaetz know it:
The guy who parked in front of the Library of Congress summer, threatening to blow up three city blocks said he had tannerite in his truck.
How strange that Matt and Lauren have repeated it now, like it’s a regular part of their vocabulary.
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) November 1, 2021
Wow, it’s really unfortunate that you think it’s okay to tweet this. Are you still drunk?
— sherry ❤️Reality Winner🇺🇸 (@sherry_bath) October 31, 2021
I honest to God did not think this was a real tweet, until I looked up your account. @GOP Members of Congress are discussing acts of domestic terrorism.@POTUS @VP @SpeakerPelosi It’s past time to invoke Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, for several @GOP members of Congress
— Paul Swinebaum (@GusFantastico) October 31, 2021
Joking about detonating explosives in a federal building.
Funny. 🙄— Brian (@bmatcheski) October 31, 2021
Featured Image Via NBC News