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Not one to shy away from the limelight, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert constantly has controversial moments. Continuing her pattern of questionable behavior, on November 23, Boebert started her own Cameo page. For a fee, Cameo users can pay famous pop culture icons to record a video, leave a voice message, or give a pep talk — and it seems Boebert considers herself to fall into this iconoclast category. Not one for original ideas, Boebert is following in the footsteps of two of her previous coworkers. Convicted felon and shady diva George Santos was the first previous congressman to take to Cameo to rake in some cash — mostly to help with his legal fees. And, as of November 22, disgraced former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has been active on the platform, charging fans and foes alike a minimum of $500 for a recorded message.
On the morning of the 25th, Boebert was accepting requests for personalized videos, with her price beginning at $250. "Whether you or someone you know needs an America-first pep talk, if you want to surprise friends or family with a message for a special day, or if you just want to know my thoughts on whatever's on your mind, Cameo is the place to connect with me," Boebert blabbed in her introductory video on the platform (via the Denver Post). She halted all requests before noon, and by 5:30 p.m., her Cameo page was entirely shut down. The quick open-and-shut of her Cameo career has gotten many speculating as to what led to her closing up shop so soon.
Lauren Boebert might have broken some ethics rules
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As of November 26, neither Lauren Boebert nor her office have officially commented on why she deactivated her Cameo account. There's been speculation from congressional ethics experts that the quick turnaround could indicate Boebert violated some House rules. For starters, it's illegal for politicians to use their public office to raise extra income, as well as a cap on the amount of money they can make. Boebert tried to skirt this particular ruleset by filming all her videos away from her office. There's also a ban on current legislative members accepting payment for giving speeches — whether recorded on an app or otherwise.
However, in today's modern age, there is no official ruling regarding whether or not Boebert can appear on Cameo. But Boebert's actions are still shady. "Even if the House Ethics Committee provides guidance that sitting members of Congress may appear on Cameo, the maximum outside income limit for House members is $31,815 currently, so she would have to abide by that limit," Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, told Colorado Politics.
With Boebert's team remaining quiet about why she pulled out of the video-sharing platform, it gives room for further speculation. Boebert has never been one to quietly follow the rules. For her to silently step away from this might suggest that many people can't stand Lauren Boebert. Even with switching districts, it seems that Boebert's ego is still getting in the way. Perhaps stepping out of her own echo chamber and into the wilds of Cameo gave Boebert an unfortunate wake-up call about the reality of her popularity. It's also a good reminder to maybe not take advice from a convicted felon and alleged sexual predator, even if they used to be your coworkers.
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