A New York City Councilwoman is being persecuted by the militant Left for speaking up against taxpayer funding of drag queen performances in public grade schools under the national title “Drag Queen Story Hour.” New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino courageously opposes public funding of this bizarre programming, which is being imposed on captive audiences of impressionable children.

In June 2022, Councilwoman Paladino posted on her personal, campaign-related Twitter account about these taxpayer-funded presentations, denouncing them as “unacceptable and grotesque.”  She was immediately besieged by death threats and malicious accusations. “Because of the death threats, I had a police car circling my house every ten minutes for ten days, but I will not back down,” said Paladino.

“The supposedly tolerant Left shows its fanatical intolerance once again. This is what happens when you resist the onslaught of the woke mob,” said Thomas More Special Counsel Christopher Ferrara, who is representing Councilwoman Paladino in dealing with the attacks. “Vickie is understandably appalled by the hateful reaction she has received. She’s focused on protecting the children of her constituents, and the hatred that is being directed at her is a sign that she is right over the target.”

Paladino represents District 19 of Queens, where, she says, “I am fighting every day for the interests of my constituency and trying to restore sanity to local government. New Yorkers are facing street violence every single day. There is a food shortage, a housing crisis, and a big mental health crisis to deal with. Homeless individuals, veterans, senior citizens, and our youth are all struggling, and yet we are spending taxpayer dollars on ‘Drag Queen Story Hours’ in order to encourage gender confusion and expose little children to men who get a thrill out of dressing up like women and imposing themselves on captive audiences who should never be exposed to such behavior—especially not without parental consent.”

“Furthermore,” said Paladino, “Drag Queen Story Hour” is offensive and degrading to women. That is not how real women dress or look. It is a sexist caricature of womanhood by men who have a distorted view of what we are.”

Paladino’s opponents have demanded that the City Council discipline her for her supposedly “anti-LGBTQ” remarks. “This has nothing to do with any LGBTQ issue,” said Paladino. “This has to do with men dressing up like caricatures of women and being sent into classrooms full of impressionable children to confuse them about sexuality and introduce them to things that would never otherwise enter their minds, things that have nothing to do with a sound education—all without parental consent.”

“If this matter should ever reach the floor of the City Council, my co-counsel Tyler Brooks and I will vigorously defend Vickie’s First Amendment rights,” said Ferrara. “She has every right to represent the views of her constituency concerning what they regard as a completely ridiculous and offensive misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Paladino makes no apology for her statements. “Protecting children is my priority. Period. This is what I was elected for. And I will continue to be the most transparent, effective council member this district has ever had.”

“It’s not ‘hate speech’ to say drag queens don’t belong in schools,” added Ferrara, “and if the Council were to condemn Vickie Paladino for saying so on her personal campaign Twitter account that has no connection to the official workplace, they are asking for a First Amendment battle that could well end up in the Supreme Court, as have similar controversies involving the rights of public officials to speak their mind on public issues without penalty to their offices.”