From Raw Story
A state Republican lawmaker in New Hampshire must cut checks for a combined $200,000 to two drag queens to settle accusations that he defamed them for falsely calling one a sex offender and claiming the other danced with children in a sexual manner.
State Rep. David Love must pay $100,000 each to Robert Champion, who uses the stage name Monique Toosoon, and Michael McMahon, who uses the stage name Clara Divine. Love must also apologize under the terms of the deal, which was agreed to Thursday. (Editor's note - Thursday of last week)
Love, who represents the Rockingham 13 district. made the comments in 2022 as he introduced legislation to require public libraries to conduct background checks on every staffer and volunteer, according to The Boston Globe. His reasoning: concerns over library events that included drag queens. The lawmaker told a state house committee that one drag queen was a "convicted sex offender" and another was seen "rubbing butts" with children.
Love said in a statement to media outlets under the deal that he failed to vet inaccurate information that he'd received.
This the second time a drag queen has received recompensed after being falsely accused of obscene acts in front of children. In May of this year, drag performer Eric Posey was awarded a $1.1 million judgement against a far-right blogger who falsely accused him of exposing himself to children during a performance.
These lawsuits should be happening more often. However, unlike conservatives, the LGBTQ community doesn't have access to folks with a lot of money and the enormous ego to match to fund them.
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