'Get out of my city': Moms For Liberty hears from Trump, DeSantis and noisy protesters in Philly

PHILADELPHIA - Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and other Republican presidential candidates have to pay heed to conservative activist groups, and on Friday they went before one of the newest and noisiest: Moms For Liberty.

"Don't mess with America's moms," the front-running Trump told members of the organization during a day-long conference that also drew 2024 Republican presidential candidates DeSantis and Haley, as well as hundreds of protesters.

Founded just two years ago, Moms For Liberty made its political name by promoting what members call "parental rights" in education policies, and what opponents call harassment and extremism.

Moms for Liberty describe themselves as passionate about problems in education, and motivated to vote in 2024; Trump, DeSantis, Haley and other candidates are speaking at their "Joyful Warriors National Summit" because they are apt to provide many voters in Republican primaries and the general election.

"No one is going to fight like a mom is going to fight for her kid," said Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms For Liberty. "I think the parent vote is going to be huge."

The group claims 120,000 members in 44 states.

'A lot of tumult'

During his long and rambling set of remarks, Trump tied his education proposals into standard riffs that promoted his ideas and vilified prosecutors over indictments and investigations.

His plans include public election of school principals by parents, the elimination of "critical race theory" and "gender ideology," and efforts to "keep men out of women's sports."

Trump, like other candidates, also praised the new Supreme Court decisions against affirmative action and student loan debt forgiveness.

Trump also argued that his views - and those of his supporters - are the reasons he has been subjected to numerous investigations.

Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Florida indicted Trump in connection with his removal of classified information. He was already under indictment in New York state over hush money payments.

Trump remains under investigation in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., over efforts to overturn his 2024 election loss to President Joe Biden.

“People say, ‘Trump brings a lot of tumult,'" he said at one point. "We bring tumult because they come after us.”

DeSantis and the 'mama bears'

In his speech, DeSantis appealed to the group by saying they have created "the most powerful political force in this country ... mama bears."

Moms For Liberty is based in Florida, and worked with DeSantis on the state legislative agenda that he is promoting in his presidential campaign.

The Florida governor, who trails Trump in Republican polls, hit on familiar topics like his opposition to "critical race theory," sexually explicit books in school libraries, gender-affirming surgery for minors, "pronouns," and transgender athletes in women's sports. He also praised the new Supreme Court decision rejecting affirmative action in colleges and universities.

Looking toward the election, DeSantis said "parents across the country" will "finally fight back."

Trump, the front-runner is scheduled to speak later Friday.

What are the Moms For Liberty?

Justice and fellow co-founder Tina Descovich, former members of local school boards in Florida, started Moms for Liberty in 2021 after COVID restrictions closed classrooms and created in-home learning via Zoom.

Organizers said parents were being ignored when they objected to items ranging from the promotion of Black history and diversity to transgender and LGBQT policies.

Moms For Liberty has played big roles in electing like-minded supporters to offices across the country, particularly school boards. One of their most publicized successes came near Philadelphia in suburban Bucks County, Pa.

The new school board has banned books with "sexualized content" from school libraries and pushed a neutrality policy with respect to history subjects like slavery and anti-Semitism.

Protests in Philly at Moms for Liberty convention

The Moms for Liberty "Joyful Warriors National Summit" in Philadelphia drew hundreds of protesters Friday from local groups who claimed the organization has been hostile to minorities and harassing to local school officials.

"Hate has no place here," they chanted.

On Thursday evening, more than 50 gathered at the Museum of the American Revolution, the site of a pre-conference reception hosted by Moms For Liberty. Chants included “Philly is a trans city” and “Philly is a Black city."

'You don't own my children'

Milling about the hallways of a downtown hotel, supporters attending the convention said they do not hate school board members or other lawmakers, they just want to limit their power.

Bethany Mandel, 37, co-author of a book called "Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation." said many parents across the country believe their children are being subjected to false values by school officials and government bureaucrats.

"People are like, 'you don't own my children,'" said Mandel, who lives in Montgomery County, Md.

Some people said they attended the meeting to see what Moms For Liberty is all about.

Amy Davis, 45, a nurse from nearby Berwyn, Pa., said she wanted to learn more about "the drama, the anger, (and) the theatrics"of the issues under discussion.                                            

"There's a lot of spin," she said. "I kind of want to figure it out myself."

'Moms care about a lot of things'

In her appearance at Moms For Liberty, Haley combined a standard stump speech - stressing her experience as governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations - with periodic tributes to the strength of mothers.

Haley also drew applause for saying "God Bless the Supreme Court" for its string of recent conservative decisions on affirmative action, religious liberty, and student debt.

"Moms care about a lot of things," Haley said. "It's not just schools."

Are Moms for Liberty an extremist group?

The Southern Poverty Legal Center has designated Moms For Liberty as a "far-right organization" of extremists. In a report, the SPCL said members "use their multiple social media platforms to target teachers and school officials, advocate for the abolition of the Department of Education, advance a conspiracy propaganda, and spread hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community."

A county chapter in Indiana apologized after a newsletter included a quote that German dictator Adolf Hitler used at a Nazi rally in 1935 ("He alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future").

Moms for Liberty say they are a 'threat to powers-that-be'

Members of Moms forLiberty said many of the accusations are unfair and attempts to silence and de-legitimize their organization,

"We're a real threat to the powers-that-be when it comes to public education," Justice said.

At their summit in downtown Philadelphia, Moms For Liberty are attending sessions ranging from "Comprehensive Sex Education: Sex Ed or Sexualization" to "Mastering The Spin: Effective Messaging Strategies."

They are also hearing from presidential candidates. On Saturday, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are scheduled to speak with Moms For Liberty.

Why are Moms for Liberty in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia is a Democratic city, but that state of Pennsylvania has been swingy in recent elections.

In 2016, Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania led to his victory in the Electoral College. Biden reclaimed the state in 2020, a key part of his victory over Trump.

In the upcoming Republican primary, Trump has a big lead, according to a Quinnipiac University poll this week.

Trump received 49% support from registered Republican voters in Pennsylvania, followed by DeSantis with 25%. Tied for third, at 5%, were former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Haley had 4 percent.

'Get out of my city'

Outside the Philadelphia Marriott Downton, far from the fifth-floor ballroom where Moms For Liberty held general sessions, protesters chanted things like "get out of my city!" and "get out of my state!"

Kel Smith, 40, who works for a non-profit in Philadelphia, and Lydia Tseng, 39, a local teacher, said Moms for Liberty and the candidates who are lobbying them are encouraging people to indulge in hatred of people of color, gays and lesbians, and transgender people.

They and other protestors cited the high suicide rates for transgender children caught in the middle of a political maelstrom.

"Kids are dying because of what they're pushing," Tseng said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump, DeSantis, protestors rally at Moms For Liberty convention