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MAGA Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert turn on each other in ‘high school drama’

Ms Boebert tried to distance herself from her fellow 2020 election denier, mocking Ms Greene’s belief in an antisemitic conspiracy theory about ‘space lasers’

Rachel Sharp
Tuesday 20 December 2022 13:24 GMT
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MAGA Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have turned on each other, with the Colorado congresswoman mocking the far-right conspiracy theorist’s belief in “Jewish space lasers”.

The one-time close allies – who infamously joined forces to heckle President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech just as he spoke about the need to provide healthcare to sick and dying veterans – came to blows on Monday over the future of the House speaker role.

At Turning Point USA’s winter student conference, Ms Boebert was asked if she shares the Georgia congresswoman’s view that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy should become the House speaker.

In response, Ms Boebert tried to distance herself from her fellow 2020 election denier, saying she has often been wrongly “accused” of sharing the same opinions as her and mocking Ms Greene’s belief in an antisemitic conspiracy theory.

“Well, you know, I’ve been aligned with Marjorie and I’ve been accused of believing in a lot of things that she believes in,” she said.

“I don’t believe in this just like I don’t believe in Russian space lasers – Jewish space lasers – and all this.”

Ms Greene – who has a penchant for pushing far-right conspiracy theories and has supported QAnon in the past – became a source of mockery back in 2021 when resurfaced social media posts showed her pushing an antisemitic conspiracy theory.

In the 2018 Facebook post, which has now been deleted, Ms Greene pushed the false conspiracy that California wildfires are started by a space laser beam operated by wealthy Jewish bankers.

Ms Boebert’s comments resurfacing the matter on Monday clearly rattled Ms Greene.

Sharing a video clip of Ms Boebert’s comments on Twitter, the Georgia representative launched into a Twitter rant slamming the Colorado congresswoman for taking endorsements from herself and other MAGA Republicans – but then refusing to support them in return.

Ms Greene went on to accuse Ms Boebert of causing “high school drama” and made a dig about the fact that she only managed to scrape victory in the November midterms.

“I’ve supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. President Trump has supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. Kevin McCarthy has supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. She just barely came through by 500 votes,” she tweeted.

“She gladly takes our $$$, but when she’s been asked: Lauren refuses to endorse President Trump, she refuses to support Kevin McCarthy, and she childishly threw me under the bus for a cheap sound bite.”

She continued: “The country is facing extremely difficult times. Americans expect conservative fighters like us to work together to Save America and that is the only mission I’m 100% devoted to, not high school drama and media sound bites.”

Ms Boebert is yet to publicly respond to the Georgia Republican’s comments.

The war between the two extreme right-wing figures comes amid increasing turmoil in the Republican party – particularly within its MAGA wing.

The one-time close allies infamously joined forces to heckle President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech just as he spoke about the need to provide healthcare to sick and dying veterans (Getty Images)

Many top Republicans have turned against Donald Trump in the wake of a disappointing midterms where the so-called “red wave” failed to materialise and many of his endorsed candidates fell flat.

Several GOP members are also refusing to support Mr McCarthy in his bid to become House speaker after the party took the majority in the upper chamber. Ms Greene meanwhile has given Mr McCarthy her endorsement.

Now, the spat between two of the most high-profile extreme far-right figures in the party points to further tensions within MAGA world.

In recent months, reports have surfaced that the two women are no longer as friendly as they once were and that Ms Boebert actually “detests” being associated with Ms Greene.

In February, the pair reportedly came to blows over Ms Greene’s appearance at a conference organised by white nationalist Nick Fuentes with tempers reaching such a point that another lawmaker was forced to intervene, according to Politico.

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