Yesterday, some seriously hot tea was effectively spilled all over social media after Yaritza Mendoza — a woman claiming to be (or have been) Colorado Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s neighbor — took to her Facebook profile with an extensive open letter that ultimately accused the controversial lawmaker, who’s up for reelection next month, of shooting and killing her dog.
“It took me a while to find the courage to want to publicly talk about the emotional trauma you caused me along with many others. I was scared of the power you hold as a U.S. representative for Colorado’s 3rd congressional district. I was scared of the way you are praised around this valley. I was scared of the arrogance that your head is filled with while you carry a gun. I was scared as your next door neighbor. However, I am writing this now to let you know I am no longer scared of you. On August 17th, 2022 you took my bestfriend away with the ‘power’ of your gun. My two year old husky omega was taken away from my family and I in the course of a couple hours,” Mendoza wrote in her public Facebook post, addressed specifically to Lauren Boebert.
The allegations, unsurprisingly, sparked instant drama and backlash across social media, from Facebook to Twitter and everything in between. People were absolutely livid at the notion of Boebert taking an innocent dog’s life. The ordeal went so viral that it was even picked up by the American Muckrakers PAC on Twitter, a group that’s dedicated solely to opposing Lauren’s upcoming reelection.
– BREAKING AND NEW: Boebert Kills a Dog – The Owner Speaks Out for the First Time –
Please read and RT this disgusting act by @laurenboebert. pic.twitter.com/69CHEWCvMV
— American Muckrakers PAC, Inc. (@AmericanMuck) October 16, 2022
However, it seems there may be more to the story than what immediately meets the eye.
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Boebert herself ended up taking to her own Twitter late last night to address the unproven allegations against her, writing, “For the uninformed trolls: The story that was started saying I killed a neighbor’s dog is not true. I’ve never shot or killed any dog, ever. A neighbor told the police that he shot two dogs.”
For the uninformed trolls: The story that was started saying I killed a neighbors dog is not true. I’ve never shot or killed any dog, ever. A neighbor told the police that he shot two dogs.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 17, 2022
The Republican congresswoman wrote a second tweet in her thread, going on to claim, “As I understand it, the dogs he shot were wounding and killing livestock in our neighborhood including several of our family’s goats. Again, I had nothing to do with this and I believe there is a police report that verifies the neighbor’s account of why he shot the dogs.”
As I understand it, the dogs he shot were wounding and killing livestock in our neighborhood including several of our family’s goats. Again, I had nothing to do with this and I believe there is a police report that verifies the neighbor’s account of why he shot the dogs.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 17, 2022
Newsweek reports that they reached out to Boebert’s office for comments pertaining to the matter and they responded with screenshots of comments made on Mendoza’s Facebook post by a different alleged Boebert neighbor, Tina Bergonzini, who asserted that the congresswoman “didn’t shoot the dog,” adding that Mendoza also had a St. Bernard that had been shot back in October of 2021 for killing local livestock.
“The cops were contacted, they know who shot the dogs,” Bergonzini wrote in the Facebook comment, adding, “My boyfriend shot both of them.”
In a separate comment, Tina wrote that the allegation against Boebert was “a blatant falsehood.”
Upon review, it seems that Mendoza has been deleting Bergonzini’s comments from her post.
American Muckrakers PAC posted on Twitter that they have been in contact with Mendoza and are looking to help her, with the public’s assistance.
“I’ve been in touch with her and she’s asking for help as Boebert supporters are now sending her nasty and threatening emails and texts,” the PAC said in a tweet. “We want to send a lawyer to meet with her and want to hire a couple off duty blue to keep an eye on her and her family’s home.” The PAC also claimed to be in contact with Garfield County Sheriff’s Office but has not yet heard back.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
