Full Breakdown
House Ethics Complaint Accuses Rep. Lauren Boebert of Sexual Relationships and $200,000 Payment
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Core Allegations
A sworn complaint filed with the U.S. House Committee on Ethics alleges that Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) engaged in sexual relationships with three staff members under her direct supervision, including district director Clarice Navarro Ratzlaff, from 2021 through January 2025. The filing further claims Boebert arranged a payment of roughly $200,000 in March 2025 to Navarro Ratzlaff after she indicated an intent to file her own ethics complaint.
Background & House Rule
House Rule XXIII, clause 18(a)—adopted in February 2018 after a wave of harassment scandals—bars members from sexual relationships with any subordinate employee, with spouses as the sole exception. Consent is not a defense; the rule places the obligation on the member. The Ethics Committee cited the same provision in its 2019 investigation of former Rep. Katie Hill.
Data & Financial Details
The complaint’s analysis of House payroll data places Navarro Ratzlaff’s total compensation at about $450,000 over four years, including roughly $31,000 in “implied year-end bonuses” calculated by comparing fourth-quarter pay to third-quarter baselines. The alleged $200,000 payment is described as separate from routine payroll and campaign-funded reimbursements for mileage and hotel stays.
Official Statements & Responses
Rep. Boebert’s office and campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Boebert herself questioned the practice, asking, “What were they covering up? What were they paying off?” (see Verbatim Quotes). The Ethics Committee neither confirmed nor denied any ongoing review.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What were they covering up? What were they paying off?” — Rep. Lauren Boebert
- “I think it is all a fairy tale made up propaganda,” — Jayson Boebert
- “I assumed this would eventually surface,” — Ratzlaff. I’ll