US Representative Lauren Boebert has denied allegations made in a recently filed House ethics complaint that claims she had inappropriate relationships with three congressional staffers and that one former aide received about $200,000 in an alleged effort to prevent an ethics complaint.
The complaint was filed on September 17 by David Wheeler of American Muckrakers with the US House Committee on Ethics. It names Clarice Navarro Ratzlaff, Raven Finegan and Jeffrey Small, all of whom were associated with Boebert’s congressional office at different times.
According to the complaint, Boebert allegedly had a relationship with Navarro Ratzlaff while she was serving as the congresswoman’s district director between January 2021 and January 2025. It also alleges relationships involving Finegan and Small during periods when they worked under Boebert’s supervision.
The filing further claims that approximately $200,000 was paid to Navarro Ratzlaff after she indicated that she intended to file an ethics complaint. The complaint alleges that the payment was intended to prevent her from pursuing the matter. Parts of the document have been redacted, making some details surrounding the alleged payment difficult to independently verify.
Boebert has strongly rejected the allegations. A representative for the Florida congresswoman described the claims as false and said the complaint was an attempt to generate publicity and damage her reputation.
Navarro Ratzlaff has also denied the allegations, calling them false and defamatory. She said there was no truth to the claims made against her.
The complaint cites public records and earlier media reports as supporting material. However, reports referenced in the filing did not themselves establish that Boebert and Navarro Ratzlaff had an inappropriate relationship.
The other two people named in the complaint are Raven Finegan, who worked in Boebert’s congressional office, and Jeffrey Small, who served as her chief of staff from 2021 to 2025. The complaint alleges that Boebert had relationships with both while they worked under her supervision.
The filing refers to House ethics rules that restrict members of Congress from engaging in sexual relationships with House employees who work under their direct supervision.
As of September 19, the House Ethics Committee had not established the allegations as facts. The complaint remains an allegation, and the claims have been disputed by Boebert and Navarro Ratzlaff.
The matter could now face further scrutiny if the ethics panel decides to examine the allegations and supporting material submitted with the complaint.
Reader Comments 0