Remember when Larry Householder lectured a library about right and wrong? | Theodore Decker

Just recently, the Dispatch updated the status of the public corruption case against former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, given that two years have passed since he was charged with coordinating what is likely the biggest taxpayer swindle in state history.

But it was another recent story that should remind us just how sanctimonious and two-faced Householder is.

That story dealt with Gov. Mike DeWine, who made it clear that he didn't want to talk about a recent fundraising appeal from the Republican Governors Association, which is backing DeWine's reelection campaign.

The association said it is seeking campaign contributions so GOP governors can work to ban "drag queen story hours" in public schools and libraries.

"Radical Democrats across the country are openly supporting sexually charged 'Drag Queen Story Hours' for young school children," states the appeal.

DeWine said he hadn't heard of the RGA solicitation, and dismissed the drag queen story hour topic as a distraction from more important matters facing Ohioans.

No quarrel there, Governor.

His press secretary, though, said DeWine will continue as an RGA member and keep taking its campaign money. And he called further inquiries about this an "attempt to bait us on a hot-button issue."

The reminder about Householder's take on drag queens came about halfway through the story.

In May 2019, the Orange Township branch of the Delaware County District Library canceled a Drag 101 hour designed for teens that was to be led by a former Miss Gay Ohio America from Columbus. That same month, Householder had questioned a planned “Galaxy of Diversity: A LGBTQ Teen Event” to be held at the Emerson R. Miller Library in Newark.

Householder sent a letter full of outrage about this to the library and the Ohio Library Council. He posted a copy on Facebook.

And oh my, is it ever rich. It isn't very long, but there may be no document in existence that drips so thoroughly with the hubris and hypocrisy of its author.

"When I was first informed our public libraries were being used to teach teenage boys how to become drag queens, I thought it was a joke," Householder wrote.

"But the joke is apparently on the taxpayers, who fund our libraries. It is a stunningly bizarre breach of public trust. And it must stop."

Larry Householder, the Larry Householder, was accusing a small-town library of a stunningly bizarre breach of public for hosting a single LGBTQ event for teens. Teens, presumably, who would not be kidnapped and held against their will at the event, but who instead would choose to attend.

See? I told you the letter was amazing. But it gets so much better.

"Let me be clear," Householder lectured. "This isn't about banning books or banning thought or any other red herring argument. This is about right and wrong. This is about being good stewards of the public's money."

If you haven't died laughing at this notion — that Larry Householder of all people is teaching us all about morality and good stewardship of public money — keep on reading to the conclusion.

"Taxpayers aren't interested in seeing their hard-earned tax dollars being used to teach teenage boys how to be drag queens. I expect this to end immediately."

And of course, there were some taxpayers who wholeheartedly agreed with him.

"Our next generation does not need to learn outrageous behavior at taxpayer expense!" one wrote on Facebook. "Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

The letter was dated May 21, 2019.

More: A timeline of the Larry Householder bribery case

For context, the colossal energy industry bailout known as Ohio House Bill 6 had just been introduced in April 2019.

Three months later, following an extensive and underhanded campaign by Householder and his cronies to pass HB 6 — what then-U.S. Attorney Dave DeVillers later called "likely the largest bribery, money-laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of Ohio" — the bill was signed into law.

Now, it isn't clear how many tax dollars would have been spent by either library for hosting either of these one-time LGBTQ events. It couldn't have been much, though; the libraries were providing already existing space for community meetings, which is one of the many services our libraries provide.

Certainly it is safe to say that whatever the cost, it would have been considerably less than those already incurred and still to be incurred by Ohioans thanks to HB 6.

HB 6, remember, has been only partially repealed. Ohio Democrats noted earlier this year that Ohioans continue to pay $287,000 every day for subsidies tied to a piece of legislation borne of greed, corruption and an unadulterated lust for power.

If our next generation is learning "outrageous behavior at taxpayer expense," they aren't being taught by anyone in drag.

Theodore Decker is the Dispatch metro columnist.

tdecker@dispatch.com

@Theodore_Decker

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: To Larry Householder, drag queen event a misuse of taxes, but not HB6