Rep. Lauren Boebert spokesman quits after less than two weeks

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert‘s spokesman has resigned less than two weeks after she was sworn into office, citing a Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol for his decision.

Ben Goldey confirmed Saturday that he has resigned, as first reported by Axios. Goldey told Axios, “Following the events of January 6th, I’ve decided to part ways with the office. I wish her and the people of Colorado’s Third District the best.”

It’s not clear when Goldey resigned. Jeff Small, Boebert’s chief of staff, declined to comment, calling Goldey’s employment situation an “internal personnel matter.”

Boebert’s first 13 days have been controversial. She promoted Jan. 6 as a momentous day in American history and, as rioters approached the Capitol, said she was their voice. In the aftermath of that deadly riot, her words, actions and motives have been called into question and heavily scrutinized on Capitol Hill.

It was Goldey’s job to answer for her behavior, which also included her refusal to let Capitol Police search a bag that set off a metal detector; a video that purported to show her violating Washington, D.C., gun laws; and her false claim Jan. 9 that the presidential election had been “rigged,” which led to a suspension on Twitter.

Katie Schoettler, a spokeswoman for Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said on Twitter that she has known Goldey for years and considers him a friend. “This decision was the best move for him,” she said of his resignation. Goldey shared that post.

Goldey was previously press secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior and, before that, was a spokesman for Rep. Paul Gosar, an ultra-conservative Arizona Republican who, like Boebert, promoted Jan. 6 as a day to overturn the election.

Boebert announced her hire of Goldey on Dec. 21, saying he would be part of a “powerhouse team” with the “experience, enthusiasm and knowledge to help deliver outstanding results for rural Colorado.” Boebert said then that she set a high bar for hiring in her office and “could not be happier with the outcome.”

A paid intern in Boebert’s office also resigned recently due to the riot. Weston Imer, 17, said on Facebook that his family was worried about his safety following the violence, so he “reluctantly” moved back to Colorado, as first reported by the Colorado Times Reporter. But Imer has defended Boebert’s actions on Jan. 6.

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