Rep. Lauren Boebert gets a protection order after she's accused of having sex with staffers

A Weld County judge has granted Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert a temporary protection order against a man who she says is spreading lies about her and her staff.

David Wheeler, who lives in North Carolina, claims Boebert had sexual relationships with three of her staff members and arranged a $200,000 payment to one former aide to keep the alleged involvement quiet.

The allegations were made in a complaint that Wheeler, an activist who has made claims against Boebert for years, says he filed with the U.S. House Committee on Ethics. The complaint was filed last week, less than 60 days before the election. The committee's rules say that it doesn't accept complaints that are filed within 60 days of an election.

Wheeler says an ex-husband of one of the staff members is one of his "sources" for the complaint, telling CBS Colorado, "Both sources are ready and willing to testify under oath and provide receipts without subpoena. Both statements are in my possession and were provided to the House Committee on Ethics."

But Jace Ratzlaff, the ex-husband of the staffer, says that is not true.

He says the "toxic nature of the allegations" caused him to take a polygraph test to prove he isn't the "source."

He sent CBS Colorado the results of the test, administered by Polygraph Examiner Stephen Daniels at Proof Positive Testing.

Daniels says he asked Ratzlaff a series of questions including "Were you the source of any bank records, screenshots, text messages, or recorded phone calls included in or used to support the ethics complaint filed against Congresswoman Lauren Boebert?"

He says Ratzlaff answered, "No."

Daniels concluded Ratzlaff was being truthful.

Ratzlaff told CBS Colorado, "I voluntarily submitted to a polygraph examination because I wanted there to be no ambiguity about my lack of involvement ... I did it because false accusations about my involvement affect more than just me. They affect the people I care about most."

Wheeler says, when he texted Ratzlaff about the allegations, Ratzlaff told him, "I assumed this would eventually surface."

Ratzlaff told CBS Colorado he was referring to "rumors" he'd heard and did not have any firsthand knowledge of Boebert having sex with staff members.

Attorney Suzanne Taheri, who represents Jeff Small, one of the staff members listed in the complaint, says Wheeler agreed to amend the complaint to remove allegations against Small and one of the other staff members after they sent him cease-and-desist letters.

Taheri provided an email from Wheeler saying, "The amended complaint will not name Mr. Small as a subject."

Wheeler told CBS Colorado, "They are misinformed or spinning tales."

Wheeler also denied Boebert's claim that he tried to lure her into a hotel room and that he got physical with her at a campaign event in 2022. He told CBS Colorado that he had a tape that proved he didn't get physical with Boebert, but when CBS Colorado asked to see the tape, he said, "I've been searching and it hasn't turned up."

Wheeler also took issue with Boebert claiming she got a temporary protection order against him in 2022, saying, "In order for a TPO to be effective it has to be served upon the other party."

Boebert, a Republican who represents Colorado's 4th Congressional District, provided a copy of the protection order against Wheeler that was signed by a judge. She says police were unable to serve Wheeler because he no longer lived at the address they had on file.

According to the latest temporary protection order, the court found Wheeler constituted "a credible risk of physical harm or a threat of physical, psychological and emotional harm" and ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away from Boebert. He also can't have contact of any kind with her, interfere with her work, or harass, intimidate, stalk, or threaten her.

The judge ordered Wheeler to appear in court Oct. 1.

See the documents below: