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One week aft Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., demanded answers from the Department of Defense astir wherefore a "child-friendly" resistance amusement was being hosted astatine Nellis Air Force Base successful Nevada, the amusement was abruptly canceled.
"HUGE VICTORY," Gaetz wrote connected Twitter. "Drag shows should not beryllium taking spot connected subject installations with payer dollars PERIOD!"
A resistance amusement initially scheduled for June 1 — successful solemnisation of Pride Month — organized by the Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council, was canceled, the radical confirmed connected Facebook.
"The Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council is saddened to pass you that we are nary longer capable to big our yearly Pride Month Drag Show connected Nellis AFB." The radical said it "received notification that the DoD has directed Commanders not to big Drag events connected subject installations."
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Nellis Air Force Base successful Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The cancellation came aft Gaetz "demanded answers" from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, the lawmaker highlighted connected Twitter.
On May 23, Gaetz wrote a letter to Milley and Austin "demanding contiguous answers connected wherefore these resistance shows are inactive occurring" contempt their grounds successful March that the Defense Department did not enactment oregon endorse specified shows, helium said.
The 2 leaders said astatine the clip that they were not alert specified events were inactive happening connected subject bases.
"I’m demanding contiguous answers connected wherefore these resistance shows are inactive occurring contempt Austin and General Milley testifying that they should not beryllium happening," Gaetz wrote connected Twitter, sharing the letter.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., demanded to cognize wherefore resistance shows were inactive happening connected subject bases. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In the letter, Gaetz reminded Austin and Milley of their grounds earlier the House Armed Services Committee connected March 29, wherever they expressed their disapproval of specified performances.
"On March 29, 2023, during the House Armed Services Committee proceeding connected the ‘FY24 Defense Budget Request,’ I questioned you astir diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs wrong the Department of Defense (DoD). I find it wholly unacceptable that DoD is utilizing payer dollars to money DEI programs that are divisive successful nature. DoD resources should beryllium utilized for mission-essential operations, not diverted toward initiatives that make taste fissures wrong our work ranks.," Gaetz wrote successful the missive dated May 23.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified earlier the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee connected Capitol Hill March 23, 2023, successful Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
He added: "When I highlighted circumstantial cases of resistance queen communicative hours and resistance shows occurring connected U.S. subject bases, shockingly, you indicated you were unaware that specified events are taking place. However, I americium pleased to cognize you bash not enactment these resistance events and hold with maine that they should not beryllium happening."
"To assistance you successful executing the agreed-upon elimination of DoD-funded resistance events, I person enclosed supplementary documents that further item the DoD’s pervasive and persistent usage of payer dollars for resistance events," the Republican continued.
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He besides included questions astir the respective instances, requiring answers to the House Armed Services Committee truthful it could behaviour "further oversight of this matter."
US General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin enactment during a House Armed Services Committee proceeding connected the defence fund petition connected Capitol Hill successful Washington, DC, connected March 29, 2023. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
The missive past highlighted the June 2023 Nellis resistance amusement arsenic good arsenic a akin lawsuit hosted astatine Nellis the twelvemonth before, connected June 17, 2022.
"Under what authorization does a commandant approve, host, and money burlesque shows connected a subject basal utilizing payer funding?" Gaetz asked, referencing a resistance amusement hosted astatine the Nellis Club during which clip Colonel Josh DeMottis was the commander.
The missive besides highlighted past events similar 1 that took spot connected May 27, 2022, astatine the Ramstein Air Force Base, located successful Germany; and, 1 connected July 30, 2022, astatine the Joint Base Langley-Eustis successful Virginia.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., wrote a missive to elder officials astatine the Defense Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff seat concerning resistance shows. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The May lawsuit was canceled but Gaetz inquired successful the letter: "Prior to its cancelation, however galore work members were diverted from their mean duties to assistance plan, organize, and facilitate the resistance queen communicative hour?"
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The June 1 lawsuit was going to diagnostic RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5 prima CoCo Montrese, according to its advertisement.
According to NBC News, the determination to cancel the lawsuit came straight from Austin and Milley, the second of which was visibly agitated erstwhile helium was informed astir the event.
A resistance amusement was hosted astatine Nellis Air Force Base each of the past 2 years, including 2021 and 2022.
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