Lauren Boebert Confirms Her Apology to Ilhan Omar Was Bullshit

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It turns out that Rep. Lauren Boebert‘s Twitter apology to Rep. Ilhan Omar for making anti-Muslim remarks may not have been so sincere.

The conspiracy theorist from Colorado posted an Instagram video on Monday recounting a call she had with Omar to discuss the remarks. Boebert claimed that she never wanted anything she said to “offend someone’s religion.” Omar then asked Boebert to make a public apology for an extended rant in which Boebert suggested Omar was a potential terrorist, to which Boebert asked Omar to apologize for her “anti-American, antisemitic, anti-police” rhetoric. Boebert says Omar then hung up the phone. “Rejecting an apology and hanging up on someone is part of Cancel Culture 101,” Boebert said, “and it’s a pillar of the Democratic Party.”

It’s unclear how Omar hanging up on Boebert after it became clear the call was made in bad faith has anything to do with cancel culture, but no matter. It’s a phrase Boebert’s followers don’t like, and so she used it. Making sense is not a priority here. Neither is expressing anything resembling genuine contrition.

Omar, a Somali-American immigrant who is among the first Muslim women to serve in Congress, responded later on Monday. “Instead of apologizing for her Islamophobic comments and fabricated lies, Rep. Boebert refused to publicly acknowledge her hurtful and dangerous comments,” she said, adding that Boebert “doubled down on her rhetoric and I decided to end the unproductive call.” Omar called once again on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to “hold his party accountable.”

Boebert has a long history of attacking Omar. When the House of Representatives was voting to censure Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) for posting a cartoon video depicting himself killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Boebert called Omar a member of the “Jihad Squad,” wondered why she’s allowed to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee while “praising terrorists,” and spreading unfounded conspiracy theories about Omar’s personal life. Boebert again called Omar a member of the “Jihad Squad” during an event over Thanksgiving weekend. She also joked about Omar being a terrorist, saying she’s glad Omar didn’t have a backpack on when she ran into her in the Capitol.

“I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar,” Boebert tweeted on Friday. “I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.”

It’s pretty hard, though, to buy Boebert’s claim that she doesn’t mean to “offend someone’s religion” by … repeatedly insinuating Omar is a terrorist. Omar sure didn’t buy it, which is why she hung up on her on Monday, and why she is still calling on the Republican Party to take action. “This is not about one hateful statement or one politician,” she said. “It is about a party that has mainstreamed bigotry and hatred.”