A drag queen has contradicted the claims of Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert, saying she's been lying about how long she'd been seeing Quinn Gallagher, who co-owns the Hooch Craft Cocktail Bar in Aspen, Colorado.
The performer's remarks shed further light on Boebert's relationship with Gallagher, who was ejected with her from a performance of Beetlejuice due to disruptive behavior at a Denver theater.
Boebert has continued to weather criticism about her "outrageous behavior" and those who attended the performance confirmed she was vaping and taking photos during the show.
Additionally, Boebert is facing accusations that she was getting rather hot and heavy with her date that night—and surveillance footage shows Boebert and Gallagher fondling each other in the middle of a performance where children were present.
Speaking to TMZ, drag queen Kendra Matic—who headlined a drag burlesque show at Gallagher's establishment—said the two had been dating for "months."
She said:
“First date and somebody’s touching your boobies like that? I know they were dating for a while, months.”
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Kendra Matic called Gallagher an "amazing guy" but said she otherwise would not have cared about his relationship with Boebert had she not done more research into Boebert's history of attacking the LGBTQ+ community:
"Of course I don't like this relationship because I don't like this girl. I don't understand why she has that hate speech all the time... because we [the LGBTQ+ community] don't do anything wrong. I don't harm anyone."
Indeed, Boebert has long courted controversy for her vocal opposition to various LGBTQ+ events and causes—so it raised eyebrows when news outlets reported that Gallagher's establishment is known for hosting LGBTQ+ events, including a women's party for Aspen Gay Ski Week and a drag performance called "A Winter Wonderland Burlesque & Drag Show."
A source close to Gallagher's family told The Daily Mail this week that the news he had gone out with Boebert was “very surprising" because Gallagher's parents—staunch Democrats themselves—"would be horrified because they are definitely blue."
Boebert has been called out both for lying and hypocrisy.
Boebert's camp initially acknowledged that she was taking photos during the performance but disputed reports that she was vaping; a campaign statement did not address her groping behavior.
Theater officials confirmed that two patrons, including Boebert, were escorted out of the show after talking loudly, vaping, and using cameras during the performance. They had been warned about their behavior during intermission, when a pregnant audience member who was sitting behind them complained, but continued to disrupt the show in the second act, leading to their removal.
Boebert initially attributed the incident to her "overtly animated personality" and later admitted to vaping during the show. However, she claimed she "genuinely did not recall" doing so.
She told reporters she has "peacefully parted" ways with Gallagher, saying that "All future date nights have been canceled and I learned to check party affiliations before you go on a date."
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