Lauren Boebert's book deal disclosure should make 'alarm bells ring': ethics expert

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) could find herself in hot water after omitting income on her 2022 financial disclosure report.

According to a report from the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger, the controversial Republican from Colorado is being scrutinized for not reporting income from her memoir that came out this year in her personal financial disclosure — a potential violation of congressional ethics rules.

As the report details, a spokesperson from Boebert's office stated that that income will show up in her 2023 filing.

In an email Thursday to Raw Story, Boebert spokesperson Jake Settle produced an email exchange between Boebert's office and House Committee on Ethics Chief of Staff Tom Rust. In it, Boebert Chief of Staff Jeff Small states that "Rep. Boebert received no book royalties in 2022. She first received royalties for her book over $200 in January of 2023."

Rust indicates to Boebert's office that based on "the facts as you have presented them," Boebert is not required by law to disclose her book royalties until next year.

But ethics experts say the congresswoman is playing fast and loose with the rules.

According to the report, "The ethics instruction guide for 2022 congressional financial disclosures makes clear that members must disclose not only royalties they received, but anticipated royalties as well — any royalties currently due from the publisher for completed sales.'"

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Kedric Payne, senior director of ethics at nonpartisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center, claims the rules on book royalties are very clear and Boebert may have to amend her disclosure.

“Alarm bells ring when a lawmaker has book sales but doesn't report book income. Voters have a right to know that their elected officials are fully transparent about their financial interests,” Payne explained.

Jordan Libowitz of government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington added, "It does seem odd that she’s claiming there were no royalties earned — even if not paid — during the first six months of the book’s release. If she could not calculate the royalties, that would still need to be disclosed. She does not disclose anything about the book on her forms, which is unusual in this type of situation.”

You can read more here.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Boebert has not definitively violated congressional ethics rules. It has also been updated to include additional comment from Boebert's office.