Lauren Boebert says she ‘really’ doesn’t remember vaping during ‘Beetlejuice’ musical

DENVER (AP) — Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert apologized Friday after getting forced out from a musical theater performance in Colorado last weekend for disruptive behavior, then falsely denying that she had vaped.

The apology came a day after surveillance video surfaced showing Boebert vaping in his seat at a Denver theater. Her campaign previously denied the theater’s claim that she had vaped.

The usually combative Boebert said in a statement released Friday that her actions were not intended to be malicious or cause harm, “but the reality is that they did.”

She was kicked out of the musical “Beetlejuice” last Sunday following complaints from people in the audience that she and another guest were vaping, singing, using phones and causing a disturbance.

While the lights were still on and people were taking their places around Boebert, she could be seen on surveillance video putting her hand over her mouth then blowing out a cloud of steam. After the lights went out, the footage showed Boebert dancing in her seat and flashes of her phone as she held it and appeared to take photos of herself during the performance.

Two days after the incident, Boebert posted on social media: “It’s true, I really enjoyed the amazing Beetlejuice at the Buell Theater and I plead guilty to laughing and singing too loud!”

Boebert noted in her statement that she was going through a divorce and said her behavior was unacceptable.

“I really didn’t remember vaping that evening when I discussed the night’s events with my campaign manager,” she said. “We understand what that looks like.”

During her relatively short time in Washington, Boebert built a national reputation and aligned herself with the far right of the GOP. Her assertive style made headlines, including when she heckled President Joe Biden during his 2022 State of the Union address.

She is serving her second term in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, largely covering the western half of the state.

The city-owned Buell Theater did not name Boebert when it released video clips from surveillance cameras showing the congresswoman and her companion being led out of the theater by members of its staff.

During the confrontation, both men made comments like “do you know who I am” and “I’m going to contact the mayor,” according to theater representatives.

The two guests initially refused to leave the premises, even after an employee threatened to call the police, the theater said. Once a police officer was on his way, the two men left, the theater said.

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

Jesse Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-reported issues.