David B. Wheeler says he committed no crime and calls Boebert's perjury accusation a threat dressed up as a press release
David B. WheelerComplainant and president of American Muckrakers, writing in its newsletter
In his September 26 newsletter post, Wheeler wrote that Boebert "didn't answer the records" and instead accused him of a crime. He wrote that he committed no crime, that his complaint is sworn under 28 U.S.C. Section 1746 and asks the Ethics Committee to investigate, and that her release is "a threat dressed up as a press release."
“Boebert didn't answer the records. She answered by accusing me of a crime. Her official House press release was published on a taxpayer-funded government website says I "likely committed perjury and broke a federal law." Read that again: a sitting member of Congress used her official office to accuse a private citizen of a federal crime, in writing, on a .gov domain paid for by the public. I committed no crime. My complaint is sworn under 28 U.S.C. § 1746, the standard federal perjury exposure for a false statement, and it asks the Ethics Committee to do its job and investigate. That's not a rebuttal. That's a threat dressed up as a press release.”
Original text
Official statement
Where this statement fits
Did Lauren Boebert have prohibited relationships with staff or misuse official or campaign funds?
David B. Wheeler publicly released a complaint dated September 17, 2026 alleging that Rep. Lauren Boebert had prohibited relationships with supervised employees and misused official or campaign funds. Former district director Clarice Navarro Ratzlaff denied the allegations involving her. Boebert denied inappropriate or sexual relationships with staff, and an unnamed representative rejected the complaint's allegations more broadly. The House Ethics Committee has not publicly confirmed accepting or investigating the submission, which falls within its 60-day preelection complaint window.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
A post in the American Muckrakers newsletter, signed by Wheeler as its president. It describes the September 17 ethics complaint, says Boebert answered by accusing him of a crime, gives his account of a 2022 Garfield County case, and says he sent Boebert a cease-and-desist letter on September 22. It also contains appeals for donations.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Official statement
About this source
The congressional office's revised release. The page keeps the original publication time of 8:49 p.m. EDT on September 20, 2026 and shows a last-modified time of 6:52 p.m. EDT on September 22. It replaces the September 20 version, which attributed its statement to a spokesperson and does not contain the sentence about perjury; that version is saved as an archive copy of its old address, which now redirects here. The revised release is issued in Boebert's name and quotes her directly.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Boebert's office's revised release, posted by September 22, says Wheeler "also likely committed perjury and broke a federal law" when he certified his September 17 filing under penalty of perjury.
After the quotation
Wheeler goes on to say he sent Boebert, her chief of staff and her staff a cease-and-desist and retraction demand on September 22, and that he expects to file a defamation lawsuit if her office does not correct the record.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns alleged prohibited staff relationships and misuse of official or campaign funds. Wheeler answers Boebert's accusation that he committed perjury by saying he committed no crime, and he presses the complaint and asks the Ethics Committee to investigate, so the statement maintains the allegations rather than only disputing a label. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he rejects the perjury accusation; it does not fit because he goes on to press the complaint. His account of the complaint's basis remains his own assertion.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Lauren Boebert
More from this case
Read the full caseWheeler asks for inquiry into the basis of Higgs's pay
“If that pay is tied to a family relationship rather than to the duties, it violates the House rule”Read statement
David B. Wheeler says his Boebert complaint is built on House disbursement records, FEC filings, text messages and named sources who gave written statements
“On September 17, I filed a sworn ethics complaint against Rep. Lauren Boebert with the House Ethics Committee. It isn't built on rumor. It's built on House disbursement records, FEC filings, text messages, and named sources who gave written statements.”Read statement
Jace Ratzlaff says he was not a source for the Boebert ethics complaint and that he took a polygraph test
“I voluntarily submitted to a polygraph examination because I wanted there to be no ambiguity about my lack of involvement”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- David B. Wheeler says he committed no crime and calls Boebert's perjury accusation a threat dressed up as a press release
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4929-in-his-september-26-newsletter-post-wheeler-wrote
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "David B. Wheeler says he committed no crime and calls Boebert's perjury accusation a threat dressed up as a press release". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4929-in-his-september-26-newsletter-post-wheeler-wrote