Jury Awards Idaho Drag Queen $1.1M After Far-Right Blogger Doctors Video To Claim She “Exposed Genitals”

The Associated Press reports:

A jury has awarded more than $1.1 million to an Idaho drag performer who accused a far-right blogger of defaming him when she falsely claimed that he exposed himself to a crowd, including children, during a Pride event in June 2022.

The Kootenai County District Court jury unanimously found Friday that Summer Bushnell defamed Post Falls resident Eric Posey when she posted a doctored video of his performance with a blurred spot that she claimed covered his “fully exposed genitals.”

Posey, who uses the stage name Mona Liza Million, performed three times at the Pride in the Park celebration wearing a long-sleeve leotard, black shorts and tights, with a shiny metallic boa around his waist. He did not remove clothing.

The Coeur D’Alene Press reports:

The day of Posey’s performance, June 11, 2022, Bushnell posted a video of herself discussing the mass arrest of Patriot Front members near City Park, as well as footage from Posey’s performance. “Why did no one arrest the man in a dress who flashed his genitalia to minors and people in the crowd?” she said in the video. “No one said anything about it and there’s video. I’m going to put up a blurred video to prove it.”

The next day, Bushnell published an edited video she had received from local videographer Jeremy Lokken. Bushnell told others that the blur concealed “fully exposed genitals” and urged people to contact police. The edited video garnered many thousands of views, sparking national news coverage and a police investigation. City prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges and stated publicly that the unedited video showed no exposure.

Idaho drag performer awarded $1.1 million in defamation case against far-right blogger https://t.co/UKmD7Ji4zl

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 25, 2024

The first day of the defamation lawsuit Eric Posey V Summer Bushnell regarding the drag queen dance party at Pride in the Park on June 11, 2022. Bushnell shared a censored video of Mr. Posey’s performance in which she contends he had a wardrobe malfunction in front of underage… pic.twitter.com/MjmYtFn1I2

— Casey Whalen (@casey_whalen) May 21, 2024

Todd Banducci’s campaign finance report shows Banducci hired Summer Bushnell for management services in April 2022 using campaign $. Todd’s term is up in 2024. The date paid is exact time when Ken Howard & Christie Wood resigned @northIdaho. (AHM has been dissolved per SOS.) 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7iTUeeWLkn

— Christa Hazel (@ChristaHazel) February 22, 2023

Right-wing blogger Summer Bushnell edited the video to blur the drag queen’s crotch, claiming that he had exposed his genitals to minors. The claim was swiftly debunked by local media. Weeks later, Chaya Raichik shared the altered video and a claim that the queen was a pedophile. pic.twitter.com/7Ukn992mCV

— Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) September 29, 2022

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