Judge Arrested for Child Pornography Wasn't Leader of Drag Queen Story Hour
The Claim
The president of Milwaukee’s Drag Queen Story Hour Foundation was arrested for possession of child pornography.
News posted on
Emerging story
On March 16, Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge, Brett Blomme was arrested on charges of possession of child pornography. Milwaukee local news began covering the story after the arrest was reported by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The original articles did not contain information attempting to link Blomme to the Drag Queen Story Hour Foundation.
The next day larger media outlets began reporting the story but also stated Brett Blomme either helped organize Drag Queen Story Hour or led a group that did so. Headlines such as the following began to circulate on social media: Milwaukee Judge and President of Drag Queen Story Hour Group Arrested, Charged With Child Pornography.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation revealed that Brett Blomme did not start, organize, or head the Drag Queen Story Hour in Milwaukee. Blomme was improperly tied to the group when news platforms conflated two different organizations.
Since its creation in San Francisco in 2015, Drag Queen Story Hour has frequently been met with controversy. Branches of the group operate in cities worldwide, including Milwaukee. The basic idea of the event is to expose children to diverse gender expressions, facilitating drag queens reading stories in libraries and other venues. Attendance is always voluntary.
The Milwaukee branch of Drag Queen Story Hour receives funding in part from another organization called Cream City Foundation. Brett Blomme operated in the past as CEO of the Cream City Foundation. “Cream City” refers to Milwaukee’s nickname, given because of the city’s use of cream colored bricks in a lot of their early construction.
Blomme did work as Cream City Foundation’s CEO, but Drag Queen Story Hour’s Executive Director Jonathan Hamilt clarified his involvement in a statement to Fox News on the 18th:
He said, “While Cream City Foundation has served as DQSH Milwaukee’s fiscal sponsor (allowing DQSH Milwaukee to receive funds as a non-profit), the relationship is strictly financial: Cream City Foundation does not direct or influence the content of our programming, and Brett Blomme has never held a position within DQSH Milwaukee nor participate directly in planning, organizing, or hosting any of our events.”
Prosecutors state that Brett Blomme has been charged with 27 counts of possession of child pornography. His alleged crimes were committed while assigned to the Milwaukee County Children’s Court. Statements by both the Cream City Foundation and Drag Queen Story Hour denounce Blomme for his actions and the Drag Queen Story Hour also denies any deeper connection with Blomme. While tenuous connections can be made between Brett Blomme and the Drag Queen Story Hour, no reliable truth shows him to be any type of leader for the organization.
