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By Marni Rose McFall
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Colorado U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert has blasted claims made in a House Ethics Committee complaint, which alleged that she had sex with members of her staff.
In an email shared with Newsweek, a spokesperson for Boebert’s office said: "Congresswoman Lauren Boebert rejects these allegations as utterly false and there is no truth to them whatsoever.
"This is nothing more than a politically motivated stunt designed to manipulate the ethics process, create headlines, smear her, and generate clickbait. They come from an activist who has long recycled sensational claims, including numerous baseless accusations previously fact-checked as false."
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The complaint, which has been reviewed by Newsweek, was filed by David Wheeler with the House Committee on Ethics on September 17 and signed under penalty of perjury. Wheeler is an American journalist and political activist who is the president and co-founder of American Muckrakers, a Democrat super political action committee.
The complaint alleges that Boebert engaged in sexual relations with three current and former staff members. It also alleges that Boebert paid out $200,000 in hush money to one staffer.
A spokesperson for the House Committee on Ethics declined to comment.
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Boebert has four children. She filed for divorce from her husband, Jayson Boebert, in 2023, citing "irreconcilable differences," and the divorce was finalized that same year.
A prominent Republican lawmaker, Boebert has this year been caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump. She was one of five Republicans to vote with Democrats to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and campaigned for the reelection of fellow Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
Her personal life has also made headlines this year after her son was arrested in August on five felony counts, including sexual exploitation of a child to induce or entice, sexual exploitation of a child involving video and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
"We take these allegations very seriously and pray for everyone affected during this challenging time," Boebert told Newsweek at the time.
In a statement emailed to Newsweek by Wheeler on Sunday, he defended his claims.
"Ms. Boebert runs her classic denial scheme learned straight out of the swamp and carried out by her minions," he said. "She deflects and tries to make the allegations about me."
He added: "This chapter in Boebert's life is the culmination of a history of criminal activity by her and her family, deception of voters and constituents, and a pattern of sexual depravity. Boebert truly believes she is not accountable for her actions, nor do the laws apply to her."
Wheeler laid out a series of claims Boebert has previously denied including alleged affairs, as well as drug and alcohol use, saying there was evidence in "public records."
"Her denial scheme involved a media tour where she claimed she would sue me. She never sued me. I sued her in Colorado Federal Court for defamation and intentional interference with financial harm to our donors," he said. "The judge agreed we were defamed five times and that her interference with donors allegations had merit."
Wheeler continued: "The US House Ethics Committee has investigative and subpoena power. All allegations will be proven with bank statements, text messages, emails, recordings, and witness testimony. This entire story is documented in my notes, and emails and texts with my sources. She can't wiggle out of this episode in her life because there will be an investigation and discovery will occur, statements will be recorded under oath, and she will also have to answer under oath. Her statement denying this series of actions will ultimately be used against her."
The claims made by Wheeler have not been verified by Newsweek.
"Ms. Boebert thinks God is only on her side and that the rules don't apply to her. That may be true, but the facts are on our side," he said.
He confirmed that he had filed the complaint with the House Committee on Ethics at 2:30 p.m. on September 17, initially via its website intake and followed up via email with a more detailed complaint. He added that he had not received an acknowledgment from the committee but had requested one.
David Wheeler Files Ethics Complaint
In 2018, the House of Representatives adopted rules that bar all members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees that they supervise.
In the "statement of facts" portion of the complaint, it states that the allegations are based on "publicly available official records," including disbursement records, state court records and published news reporting.
Further to the statement given to Newsweek, Boebert told the news outlet Sources Say News: "I’m not a lesbian or bisexual, and I have never, ever been in any inappropriate relationship, nor have I ever been sexually involved with any staff."
There are additional claims that Boebert was engaged in intimate relations with the former Florida Representative, Matt Gaetz, and another party. To this, Boebert responded: "Creative, I’ll give him that!"
Gaetz also responded to those claims in a post on X, where he wrote: "I am requesting that anyone with video of me in this alleged "threesome" release said evidence IMMEDIATELY! Unedited, please."
Wheeler has reported on Boebert for years.
In 2022, Wheeler filed a lawsuit against Boebert in Colorado, alleging that Boebert made "maliciously false statements" about him and American Muckrakers on multiple occasions in 2022, when Boebert was running for reelection.
That lawsuit was settled in 2024.
In 2022, a CNN fact-check found that there were at least five inaccuracies in claims made by the American Muckrakers about Boebert's life.
Wheeler acknowledged to the outlet at the time that the super PAC had been "sloppy" and published "inaccuracies." But he said it remained confident in the "main points of the story."
In 2023 a judge in Garfield County dismissed a complaint made by Boebert, where she asked for a permanent protection order against Wheeler.
Wheeler responded to the Sources Say News article where Boebert rejected the allegations in the story's comment section. "That’s not true," he wrote, adding: "We have sources with names. We’re not naming them because they are afraid of MAGA repercussions, but they are in the complaint and have been turned over to the House Ethics Committee."
What Happens Next
Filing a complaint with the House Committee on Ethics does not mean an investigation has begun or that any wrongdoing has been found.
The committee will first determine whether a complaint complies with its procedural requirements and then decide what action, if any, to take.
Wheeler’s complaint against Boebert specifically asks the committee to establish an investigative subcommittee and examine the allegations. The timeline of that is yet to be determined.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Cristina Diciu.
Update 9/21/26, 11:47 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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