The Controversial Way Lauren Boebert Met Her Ex-Husband Jayson
Love her or hate her, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has certainly made her mark on the national political stage as an outspoken MAGA Republican. First elected in November 2020, she has been involved in a number of controversies — Boebert's outburst during President Joe Biden's 2022 State of the Union speech was roundly criticized and, in 2023, she was one of the Republicans keeping Kevin McCarthy from being elected Speaker of the House until a nearly unprecedented 15th round of voting.
But it's not just Boebert's political stances or her relationship with Donald Trump that have proven controversial. Her personal life has its own set of scandals, including how she met her ex-husband Jayson Boebert. Lauren was working at a Burger King, and Jayson stopped by that very Burger King for lunch. That sounds innocent enough until you realize that it was in 2003 when Lauren was 16 and Jayson was 22, per Insider. Notably, the age of consent in her state, Colorado, is 17. But the age difference didn't bother Lauren. In her memoir, "My American Life," she wrote (via Insider), "I fell in love with Jayson immediately, and I knew, without doubt, that he was the man I was meant to be with — for better or for worse — forever."
Lauren and Jayson tried to get married when she was 16
While Lauren Boebert hasn't disclosed the details of how intimate her relationship with Jayson Boebert was when she was still a minor, in her memoir, "My American Life," she was adamant that everything was legal. She wrote, "For any 'Karen' who may be reading this, Jayson and I broke no Colorado laws with our relationship, despite what you might be thinking," via The Colorado Sun. Colorado law allows 15 or 16-year-olds to consent to sex with someone less than 10 years older, via Sawyer Legal Group.
We do know she wasn't 17 when the couple went to Las Vegas' A Little White Wedding Chapel to get married; they were denied since Lauren was only 16. They were finally able to get married not long after Lauren gave birth to their son Tyler in 2005 — he was the first of four sons. In 2013, Lauren and Jayson opened Shooters Grill together, a restaurant where servers carried guns at work; it closed in 2022.
Despite what Lauren wrote in her memoir about being with Jayson forever, in April 2023, she filed for divorce. The process server who served Jayson the divorce papers said that Jayson reacted aggressively, which Lauren has denied.
Lauren Boebert caused national furor for her behavior on a date
After filing for divorce, Lauren Boebert moved on romantically. Somewhat predictably, given her history of dramatic situations, one of her dates ended in public controversy. In September 2023, Lauren went on a date with Quinn Gallagher, an Aspen bar owner, to see the "Beetlejuice" musical in Denver. But they didn't get to see the whole show; they were escorted out of the theater after complaints that Lauren was disturbing the performance. She was vaping, and when a pregnant woman behind her asked her to stop, Lauren refused. Lauren was also recording parts of the show and at times loudly singing along. Plus, she and her date also got a little handsy during the show. Lauren later apologized after having been caught out on her actions thanks to surveillance footage. Lauren also confirmed she won't be going on anymore dates with Gallagher because he's a Democrat.
While Lauren was dealing with the backlash against her "Beetlejuice" behavior, Jayson posted a long Facebook post about the end of their marriage, saying he was entirely to blame. "I was unfaithful to Lauren in so many ways," Jayson wrote. "Lauren, if you are reading this, please know that I am dedicated to doing everything in my power to rebuild the trust that has been shattered. I stand behind you. ... I hate the attacks that are coming your way. In part, this is my fault and you don't deserve this."