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Denver officials admonished Rep. Lauren Boebert on Tuesday for her “inappropriate” behavior during a recent theater performance of “Beetlejuice” but declined to press charges against the Colorado Republican for getting handsy with her date and vaping.
“While Congresswoman Boebert’s conduct in the theater was clearly inappropriate and disrespectful, we concluded that it does not warrant a criminal prosecution,” Matthew Jablow, a spokesperson with the Denver District Attorney’s Office, told The Post.
Boebert (R-Colo.), 36, was caught on camera allegedly groping Aspen bar owner Quinn Gallagher’s crotch while he fondled her breasts during the family-friendly performance of “Beetlejuice: The Musical” at the Temple Hoyne Bell Theater on Sept. 10.
The hard-right politician was also accused by theater employees of vaping, singing, recording with her phone and “causing a disturbance” — prompting the ushers to boot her and Gallagher from the show.
Boerbert was also allegedly caught on video flipping off one of the employees escorting her out.
A former law enforcement official in the city told The Post that while he agreed Boebert’s actions weren’t extreme, there was enough evidence to bring charges for public indecency and for smoking inside.
Former Denver Chief Deputy District Attorney Craig Silverman said, “It will come down to prosecutorial discretion” on whether the congresswoman would face charges.
Silverman, a 16-year vet in the DA’s office, said the public indecency charge is a misdemeanor that would only carry days in jail if convicted. And vaping inside is a violation of the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act that only carries a $200 fine.
“As you exercise prosecutorial discretion, you first have to think, ‘This is a petty offense and maybe we should just let it go,'” Silverman said.
“And then you realize that there are potentially several offenses combined with horrible behavior while leaving — which could cause a reasonable prosecutor to say, ‘This is worthy of filing a criminal case.'”
Silverman said it would be very unlikely that Boebert would have faced any jail time if the charges had been filed.
So when a prosecutor is weighing whether to bring charges, “The question becomes whether an average person would have been charged under similar circumstances,” the lawyer said.
The self-described “eccentric” congresswoman — who is a fierce opponent of trans rights — announced Monday that she broke things off with Gallagher, the co-owner of Hooch Craft Cocktail Bar.
When Boebert found out that Gallagher was a Democrat, she said, “all future dates are canceled … I learned to check party affiliations before you go on a date.”
She insisted the split was unrelated to the theater brouhaha.
Boebert blamed her behavior on her divorce from her estranged husband of 18 years, Jayson Boebert.
The ex-hubby spoke out in defense of Boebert, saying people should give her a chance and blaming her behavior on his own cheating and their “devastating divorce.”
Boebert’s office declined to comment Tuesday.
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