A state senator from western Missouri who is running for Congress in Missouri’s new fifth district has filed a detailed Sunshine law request for records involving Saturday’s LGBTQ+-themed children’s story time event at Columbia’s Daniel Boone Regional Library.
Our news partner ABC-17 reports about 150 people attended Saturday, with some drawing messages on the pavement in chalk supporting the library. There were also some protesters outside the library opposed to the event.
State Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville), who chairs the Senate Education Committee in Jefferson City, has filed a Sunshine request for records and documents involving the planning of the Rainbow Story Time event and any records or documents relating to any events at the library “targeted to, in whole or in part, toddlers or preschoolers with an LGBTQ+ theme.”
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s (R) office has sent a letter warning the library that providing minors with pornography is illegal and could cost the library state funding. The library says neither book read on Saturday contains sexual content.
State Sen. Stephen Webber (D-Columbia) is blasting Senator Brattin, describing him as “anti-trans.” Senator Webber says he stands with the library and the LGBTQ community and encourages Columbia-area Republicans in a tweet to vote for former Boone County clerk Taylor Burks in Tuesday’s GOP primary in Missouri’s new fifth congressional district.