Pressley moves to strip Boebert of committee assignments

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, backed by a handful of fellow progressives, announced Wednesday she is "leading a resolution to remove" Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican, of her committee assignments in condemnation of her anti-Muslim remarks toward Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

"For a member of Congress to repeatedly use hateful, racists and Islamophobic tropes toward a Muslim colleague is dangerous," Pressley said in a Washington press conference. "This sort of toxic behavior has no place in the halls of Congress and it diminishes the honor of the institution that we all serve in."

Pressley's action is intended to put pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who, CNN reports, favors assigning the controversy to the ethics committee to avoid a partisan showdown.

Boebert, a restaurant owner and Second Amendment activist, recently became a lightning rod. On Tuesday night, she posted a holiday photo on social media featuring herself with her children toting rifles beside a Christmas tree.

Last month, she was recorded implying that Omar, who wears a hijab in observance of her faith, was a terrorist.

Boebert made headlines again after a call to Omar did little to quell the tension. Boebert publicly apologized "to anyone in the Muslim community [she] offended."

Pressley, whose resolution would strip the freshman Republican of her seats on the House budget and natural resources committees, said it is "shameful" that Boebert has not already suffered consequences from House leadership.

"We have heard the hate and credible threats that have been directed at Rep. Omar and her staff. Words have consequences," Pressley said. "Each day that passes without meaningful accountability, we risk normalizing this behavior and endangering the lives of our Muslim colleagues, Muslim staff and every Muslim who calls this country home."

Pressley, one of the core members of the left-leaning congressional group known as the Squad, was joined by two of the group's original members — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — as well as Reps. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the House Progressive Caucus; Barbara Lee; Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former Democratic National Committee chair; Jamaal Bowman of New York, Cori Bush of Missouri; and Jimmy Gomez of California.

Tlaib, who is Muslim, cried while condemning the lack of consequences for Boebert.

"We shouldn't have to beg and urge Republicans to do what's right here," she said through tears.

Pressley demurred when asked about assurances that Pelosi will address the matter, saying she is confident "there will be action taken" to render accountability for Boebert's language.

Omar made similar comments regarding potential steps from Pelosi over the past weekend.

Earlier this year, Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona were removed from their committee assignments for separate instances of using incendiary communication about House colleagues. Greene implied support for executing members of the Democratic party before running being elected to Congress, while Gosar posted a photoshopped video depicting him attacking both Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden.

"How we respond in moments like these," Pressley said, "will have a lasting impact and history will remember us for it. The world is watching."