Nearly half of the lawmakers in the state House of Representatives have been banned from using meeting rooms in the building after a Democratic lawmaker reserved one of the rooms for a “Drag Story Hour” Tuesday.
Republican Speaker of the House Ben Toma, R-Peoria, announced he is taking away the use of meeting rooms in the House from Democrats after Rep. Lorena Austin, D-Mesa, “deliberately misled” House leadership about the purpose of using a conference room in the House basement.
Austin and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona hosted the event a day before a scheduled LGBTQ+ Youth Day at the Capitol. The event also comes shortly after Democrats and some Republicans rolled Toma in his attempts at blocking a bill to repeal the 1864 abortion ban.
“Use of House facilities for radical activism to promote dangerously perverse ideology will not be tolerated while I am Speaker,” Toma wrote in a post on X announcing his decision to prohibit Democrats from using meeting rooms.
Republicans hold a 31-29 majority in the House and meeting rooms are commonly used for mini caucus meetings or events with advocacy groups at the Capitol.
House Democratic whip Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, said in a Tuesday news release that Austin never misled anyone on her plans for the conference room. According to Gutierrez, Austin’s assistant described the event as a drag story hour when she called to reserve the room.
“I guess this isn’t the people’s House after all,” Gutierrez said.
Last year, Austin announced she’s
gender nonconforming .
Arizona Senate Republicans posted a video of the event, which featured a room full of adults listening to a speaker wearing drag discuss gender-neutral language. Austin also said it was the first “Drag Story Hour” in the House.
Austin, a member of the LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, noted in a statement that no minors were present during the event but also said there was no content during the event that would offend a minor.
“This is the people's House and that includes the LGBTQ+ community, whether my colleagues on the other side of the aisle like that or not. It is nothing short of ridiculous that I have been described as dishonest, deceitful and perverse and have been subjected to calls for punishment and expulsion,” Austin said. “It was educational and completely within the mission of our LGTBQ+ Caucus. I will never apologize for teaching people to be inclusive, to accept others as they are, and to stand up to hate and bigotry."
Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, called for an ethics complaint to be filed against Austin and said she should be expelled in a post on X.
Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, criticized Toma for allowing the event to happen in a post on X. Kern and Toma are both running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Congressional District 8.
Toma’s post announcing his decision to prohibit Democrats from using meeting rooms happened shortly after Kern first questioned why Toma let it occur.
The decision also came the same day a Congressional District 8 primary poll from the American Principles Project listed Toma behind Republican opponents Blake Masters and Abraham Hamadeh.
American Principles Project is affiliated with Masters and gave him the highest favorability in the poll at 26%, with Hamadeh at 16% and Toma tied with former U.S. Rep. Trent Franks at 9%. Kern’s rating was 3% in the poll.
“If you’re that worried about staying one up on Anthony Kern, you’re already losing,” said Creosote lobbyist Gaelle Esposito. “Being reactionary to the tweets of a future felon and current Brady List member won’t be the game changer to get you to D.C.”
Toma didn’t respond to a request for comment from
The Arizona Capitol Times .
Kern was indicted last week by a state grand jury for claiming to be a “duly elected and qualified” elector for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
Gutierrez said Democratic leadership is working on reducing tension with Toma and working towards a resolution.
Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.
Most Popular
Comments / 0