The widow of a US veteran who was honoured in Joe Biden’s State of the Union has slammed Lauren Boebert for being “disrespectful” to soldiers who died serving their country after she heckled the president’s speech.
Danielle Robinson told The Independent that Rep Boebert’s outburst in the middle of the president’s comments about supporting veterans was a “slap in the face” to people like her late husband Sgt 1st Class Heath Robinson.
Ms Robinson, who was seen emotionally looking on as the president dedicated part of his address to telling her husband’s story, said the congresswoman should no longer be allowed in Congress because of her behaviour.
“That was very disrespectful to all those who gave their life to this country,” she said.
“It was so disrespectful. It was a slap in the face. We shouldn’t have her sitting on the House floor.”
During Tuesday night’s State of the Union, Mr Biden dedicated a significant portion of his time to his commitment to provide healthcare for veterans, particularly those who are sick and dying from their exposure to burn pits while deployed overseas.
“Many of you have been there. I’ve been in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan over 40 times.
“These burn pits that incinerate waste, the waste of war, medical, and hazardous material, jet fuel, and so much more,” he said.
“And they come home, many of the world’s fittest and best-trained warriors in the world, never the same.
“Headaches, numbness, dizziness. A cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin.”
Ms Boebert chose that moment to yell out: “You put them there – 13 of them”, an apparent reference to the 13 soldiers who died during the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.
Her outburst led to booing from other lawmakers and several lawmakers and members of the veteran community have since condemned her behaviour.
The president was about to say that the issue is personal to him as his own son Beau Biden died from a rare form of cancer after serving in Kosovo and Iraq where he was living and breathing in toxins from the pits.
“I know. One of those soldiers was my son, Major Beau Biden,” he continued.
The president went on to pay tribute to Ms Robinson’s husband in the speech as he outlined steps being made to better support veterans suffering from burn pits exposure and called on Congress to pass legislation that ensures veterans have access to healthcare and benefits when returning from deployment and developing health issues related to their service.
“He was born a soldier. Army National Guard. Combat medic in Kosovo and Iraq,” Mr Biden said.
“Stationed near Baghdad, just yards from burn pits the size of football fields.
“Danielle is here with us tonight. They loved going to Ohio State football games. And he loved building Legos with their daughter.
“But cancer from prolonged exposure to burn pits ravaged Heath’s lungs and body.
“Danielle says Heath was a fighter to the very end. He didn’t know how to stop fighting, and neither did she.
“Through her pain, she found purpose to demand that we do better. Tonight, Danielle, we are going to do better.”
Heath Robinson died in May 2020 from a rare form of cancer caused by his exposure to burn pits while serving in Iraq in the Ohio National Guard. He was 39.
Ms Robinson, who has become an advocate for veterans who are sick and dying from burn pits exposure, was invited to attend the State of the Union as the guest of First Lady Jill Biden.
Ms Robinson said the timing of Ms Boebert’s interruption was “inappropriate” and said that the Colorado lawmaker shouldn’t be speaking on veteran issues that she has no knowledge of.
“She’s never been a veteran so she really shouldn’t be talking on an issue around soldiers dying,” she said.
“Her comments could have come at a completely different time. It was not appropriate at all when he was speaking about soldiers dying and during the State of the Union.”
The Republican representative’s interruption also came as a shock to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff as they sat near each other on the balcony of the Senate, said Ms Robinson.
“The Second Gentleman looked at us and said ‘I can’t believe how inconsiderate that was’,” she said.
John Feal, a 9/11 survivor who pushed Congress to pass a bill to ensure first responders at Ground Zero get permanent healthcare and is now an advocate for veterans suffering from toxic exposure to burn pits, also condemned Ms Boebert over Tuesday night’s behaviour.
He told The Independent she is “a silly person” who just “craves attention”.
“Lauren Boebert is a silly person. There is nothing serious about her,” he said.
“She just wants and craves attention but hasn’t done anything constructive in her short time in Congress.
“It’s disrespectful at best. She doesn’t know etiquette or how to respect veterans or the office of the United States and needs a class in ethics.”
Meanwhile, Ms Boebert has shown no remorse for the disrespect felt by the veteran community.
Following the backlash over her outburst, she tweeted: “The left is pissed because I called out Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan that left 13 of America’s finest in a flag-draped coffin.
“They are mad because a speech was ‘interrupted’. Ask the the families who lost their loved ones how interrupted their lives are now.”
