Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has accused the media of orchestrating a cover-up after being questioned about spreading an unverified report involving a Venezuelan gang and child exploitation in Aurora, Colorado. The claims, which Boebert said were “confirmed,” have not been substantiated, according to local journalist Kyle Clark of Next 9NEWS.
Boebert recently asserted that a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua was involved in child sexual abuse and prostitution in Aurora. However, when Clark investigated the claim, he found that it originated from an anonymous, third-hand source. “When we asked Boebert for her evidence, she alleged a media cover-up,” Clark said in his report.
Clark explained that his outlet works to verify every claim about Aurora, particularly those involving serious allegations. “Take the claim that the gang, Tren de Aragua, is involved in child prostitution in Aurora,” Clark said. “We had not heard that from anyone, on any side of this issue, until two days ago.”
The gang-related claim, according to Clark, came from a report prepared by a law firm, which cited it as a third-hand, anonymous source. “Someone told someone, who told the law firm, which then notified the city of the claim on August 8th,” Clark noted.
Despite the lack of direct evidence, Boebert doubled down on the claim, writing in a letter to the Biden administration that the “gang’s sexual abuse of children in Aurora is confirmed.” Clark’s team then reached out to Boebert for clarification on how she confirmed the information.
In her response, Boebert reportedly struggled to correctly name the gang and instead shifted blame onto the media, accusing them of trying to suppress the truth. According to Clark, Boebert avoided providing any concrete evidence for her assertion and instead alleged that the media was part of a broader cover-up.
The interaction has raised concerns about the spread of unverified information and the responsibility of public figures to ensure their claims are factual. As the debate continues, Boebert’s remarks and her refusal to provide evidence have sparked further controversy in the local community.