DEFEND WA CRITICIZES MAGA AND BRIAN HEYWOOD FOR PLAYING POLITICS WITH CHILDREN
In response to media coverage of right-wing political demonstrations around a high school running meet in Camas, Reiny Cohen, Defend WA Director, said:
“It’s shameful that a handful of interests in Camas are exploiting and harassing children for their own political gain, including platforming a MAGA candidate for Congress.
This political theater is part of a national strategy to distract from the real issues facing voters like expensive groceries, disappearing health care, and escalating housing costs. They want voters to take their frustration with the disastrous Trump economy out on 5 to 10 vulnerable trans girls who play school sports.
Smart voters will listen to the many doctors and nurses - including the WA Academy of Family Physicians and the WA State Nurses Association - who say I-638 will put all girls at risk by forcing them to submit to invasive genital inspections, DNA or hormone tests just to play elementary, middle, and high school sports.
Mega-millionaire Brian Heywood and his super-wealthy friends put I-638, I-001, and I-645 on our November ballots to cut their own taxes, shift the bill to middle- and lower-income families, and to try to drive MAGA voter turnout by scapegoating vulnerable LGTBQ+ children."
Defend WA notes that the timing of the Camas running team walk off - on October 13th, just days before most Washington voters received their ballots. On October 13th:
Let’s Go Washington (Yes I-638) spokesperson and anti-trans activist Amy Sousa, who lives hours away in Port Townsend, was conveniently on hand to record video at the Camas running meet.
Just a few hours later, right-wing social media creator and Let’s Go Washington supporter Brandi Kruse, shared Sousa’s video on her platforms as “breaking news.”
At about the same time, national anti-trans activist Jennifer Sey, founder of XXXY, starts tweeting about the incident.
Reporters should also know that other spokespeople for I-638 include Frances Staudt, the daughter of Aimee Staudt who has so far this year been paid more than $26,000 by Let's Go WA this year.
