The Daily Populous Thursday May 23rd, 2024 evening edition
Authored by newsweek.com and submitted by BelleAriel

House Republican Lauren Boebert was criticized by the White House and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday after posting about having "secured over $51.4 million for the South Bridge," despite the funding coming from legislation the Colorado lawmaker voted against in 2021.

Boebert shared a photograph on X of herself with a Glenwood Springs City Councilor, adding: "Great meeting with Glenwood Springs City Councilor and former Mayor Jonathan Godes. We have secured over $51.4 million for the South Bridge.

"Was thrilled to hear about nearly $30 million in costs savings in addition and that my support has helped make this project a reality."

The official White House press office shared Boebert's post adding: "One thing about Congressional Republicans ... they're going to take credit for investments they voted against."

The $51.4 million in funding for a new bridge came from the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, which was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In July 2021 Boebert was one of 201 Republicans who voted against this legislation in an unsuccessful attempt almost entirely along party lines to block the bill.

Buttigieg also shared Boebert's post on his X account, commenting: "Congresswoman, in what way do you believe that your support helped this project? We chose it because it's a good project, and funded it using President Biden's infrastructure package, which you voted against."

Both the White House and Buttigieg X posts were widely shared, receiving 2,700 and 13,000 reposts respectively. Newsweek contacted Boebert and Buttigieg by email and telephone respectively on Thursday outside of office hours. This article will be updated if either comments.

Boebert later fired back writing: "Mayor Pete, maybe you were out chest-feeding and missed my letter, but I personally wrote you about this in June 2022.

"Only 13 RINOs [Republicans in name only] in the House voted for your Green New Deal non-infrastructure bill you are touting that wastes hundreds of millions on climate change instead of roads and bridges.

"And infrastructure grants have been doled out by administrations on both sides for decades so don't act like you are the sole provider of this funding."

In December 2023 the Department of Transportation announced it would spent $645.3 million from the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program on projects to improve the quality of rural bridges, which it said were often "in poor condition," along with rural roads more generally.

Lauren Boebert speaking with reporters as she leaves the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2024, in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday the White House accused Boebert of trying to take credit for a building project using... Lauren Boebert speaking with reporters as she leaves the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2024, in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday the White House accused Boebert of trying to take credit for a building project using funds she voted against. More Kevin Dietsch/GETTY

Buttigieg said: "Rural communities face some of the toughest transportation challenges, yet are often left out of major federal investments, a pattern that we are changing that under President Biden's leadership.

"The grants we're announcing today will make transportation in rural communities better, safer, and more reliable."

During the same month Boebert, who currently represents Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, announced she would instead run for another House term in its more conservative 4th District in November 2024. The House Republican said the move would be a "fresh start" following "a pretty difficult year for me and my family," but critics claimed she made the move to boost her chances of being returned to the House for another term.

Earlier this month, Boebert was branded "sycophantic" in The Colorado Sun, her home state newspaper, in response to her trenchant support for presumptive 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in his ongoing hush money trial.

Columnist Mike Littwin wrote: "Whether Trump is found guilty or not of book-fixing, he is definitely guilty of catch-and-kill sleaziness, of 10 counts of contempt of court, and, not incidentally, of doing all he can to trash the American system of criminal justice. And that's the person Boebert came to defend."

On May 16, Boebert shared video of demonstrators chanting "Beetlejuice" at her outside Trump's trial, in reference to her being ejected from a theater performance of Beetlejuice: The Musical in September 2023 for disruptive behavior.

Randy_Watson on May 23rd, 2024 at 11:12 UTC »

I hate that we live in a country where legislators can vote against a bill and then take credit for the part that is beneficial to them. It shows a complete breakdown in the US electorates function of holding elected officials accountable.

HellishChildren on May 23rd, 2024 at 09:58 UTC »

June 21, 2022 Boebert seeks funding for Glenwood Springs bridge after voting against bill that would fund it Congresswoman is asking for $33.1 million

MaxZorin1985 on May 23rd, 2024 at 09:31 UTC »

> On May 16 Boebert shared video of demonstrators chanting "Beetlejuice" at her outside Trump's trial, in reference to her being ejected from a theater performance of Beetlejuice: The Musical in September 2023 for disruptive behavior.

Why would she share that?