Pie, meet face: Lauren Boebert tries grandstanding at hearing on Social Security—and fails

On Wednesday, a House select committee heard from Oren McNelly, executive counselor of the Social Security Administration. On the committee was none other than the world’s worst theater-goer, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado. Boebert attacked the agency, saying that the backlog of cases is proof that Social Security workers are lazy. “You all are allowing delinquent employees to sit on their sofas at home instead of actually getting to work and doing their jobs. This is absolutely unacceptable.”

McNelly responded, “Our employees are working, whether they are in the office or at home.” Boebert attempted a gotcha question about remote workers not being monitored (they are), and then made the mistake of asking a substantive question.

BOEBERT: Then why is the backlogs for Social Security applicants increased from 41,000 to one-hundred-and-seven-hundred thousand? [Editor’s note: That is what she actually said.]

McNELLY: Because we've been historically underfunded for a number of years.

It didn’t get any better for Boebert from there.