President Donald Trump told a campaign rally crowd in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday evening that former Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown once sought a $750,000 federal earmark for a group that promoted a drag queen story hour for children.
“[He] requested an earmark of $750,000 to fund drag queens reading stories to children,” Trump told the crowd. “Now think of that. He wants $750,000 so that drag queens in school can read to our children.”
Records show Brown did request a $750,000 earmark for fiscal year 2024 on behalf of Harmony Project Productions, Inc., a Columbus-based nonprofit. The group describes its mission as building “a more connected community by breaking down social barriers, bridging community divides, and empowering the voices of the people through arts, education, and volunteer service.” The requested funds were intended to help the organization “renovate a performance, community, shared-office, and programming space” to accommodate its growth and serve local community partners.
According to Fox News, before Brown submitted the request, the group had promoted a “drag queen and story time” event in January held to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The organization described the event on Instagram as “a drag queen song and story time for the young and young at heart that encourage us to believe in our dreams, together.”
Trump used the rally to level several other charges against Brown. “He voted to exclude more than 99 percent of Ohio farmers from farm loans because they were white. He didn’t want white people to get farm loans. Five times he introduced legislation to let adult men live at battered women’s shelters,” Trump said. “So he wants adult men to live with battered women. The guy could be sick.”
Trump also claimed Brown voted against the Keystone Pipeline several times and “voted ten times in favor of the deadly sanctuary cities that release illegal alien criminals onto your streets.”
“Do not let Sherrod Brown slither his way back into power. You threw him out a long time ago — long time ago. Vote to put Ohio first and keep Ohio first. Vote to keep America first with Senator Jon Husted,” Trump told supporters.
Brown served in the U.S. Senate before losing his seat. Trump’s remarks came as he campaigned for Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio’s midterm contest.
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