NH state representative to pay drag queens $200k to settle defamation lawsuit

A New Hampshire state lawmaker was forced to apologize and payout $200,000 to two drag queens on Monday, Aug. 26, as part of a defamation lawsuit settlement . The pair will get $100,000 each after suing Rep. David Love, R-N.H., for falsely accusing one of being a sex offender and another of acting inappropriately with kids.

"After being provided with inaccurate information, information that I failed to verify, I publicly accused Robert Champion aka Monique Toosoon of being a registered sex offender and Michael McMahon aka Clara Divine of 'rubbing butts' with children," Love said in a statement . "I have since learned that those assertions were completely false. I wish to publicly retract those statements and apologize to Robert and Michael."

Love made the remarks in 2022 as he introduced a now-failed bill that would have required library employees and volunteers to get background checks. He told his colleagues he became motivated after claiming to see a drag queen dancing with children in a sexual manner in 2021 and saying another performer at drag queen story hour in 2019 was a "convicted sex offender."

Love continued to spread the false claims even after local officials told him they were untrue. Love claimed he'd seen an article about Champion being a sex offender but could not recall where he read it.

Champion said following Love's false accusations, protesters showed up at his event at a local library in 2019, and he received death threats. He added that he's committed to doing everything in his power to make sure Love doesn't get reelected.

McMahon said that he hopes Love and other politicians take this case as a lesson to not throw around falsehoods recklessly.

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