North Idaho blogger accused a Pride performer of indecent exposure. A suit has been filed

An Idaho drag performer has filed a defamation lawsuit in Kootenai County against a right-wing North Idaho blogger who accused him of indecent exposure during the Pride in the Park event in June in Coeur d’Alene.

The lawsuit and a press release about it said that a video of the June 11 performance was “doctored,” circulated across several social media platforms and sent to law enforcement. The video was edited to blur out the performer’s pelvic area and was posted to Summer Bushnell’s Facebook page, among other places.

In Bushnell’s caption, she called on viewers to call the police.

After receiving several complaints, Coeur d’ Alene police investigated the performance and sent the unedited video to city prosecutors for review. The Coeur d’Alene Prosecutor’s Office said the video showed no evidence of indecent exposure, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported, and no charges were filed.

In a phone interview with the Idaho Statesman, Bushnell said she was not at the Pride in the Park event and received the unedited video through an outside source. She declined to say who sent her the video.

Bushnell said she has never attended a Pride event and she stood by her claim that the performer exposed himself.

“I put a blur because I didn’t want to be responsible for a minor seeing the genitals that are actually there,” she told the Statesman.

Wendy J. Olson, the attorney for the performer, Eric Posey, told the Statesman that Bushnell’s video has caused significant emotional harm, with flyers of the performance and Bushnell’s accusations distributed throughout North Idaho.

“The video and the statements she made have been distributed all over the country, certainly over the Pacific Northwest,” Olson said. “Even when Boise had its Pride Festival this month, there were references to (the) performance and the things Bushnell said about him on social media.”

According to the complaint filed in court, Posey wore several layers of clothing beneath his outfit and completely covered his genital area.

He “wore shorts under a leotard during the performance,” the complaint states. “He also had on tights, undergarments, and a boa wrapped around his waist. During his performance, he never removed any articles of clothing.”

Olson said the lawsuit is meant to put a stop to what she called a hateful disinformation campaign. The suit seeks monetary damages from Bushnell of more than $10,000; compensatory damages and attorney’s fees; and a jury trial.

“After three months of silence, it is now my turn to speak. … An altered video of my performance was widely circulated online, along with false allegations of indecent exposure,” Posey said in the release. “Despite being cleared of all wrongdoing, provocateurs have continued to spread the doctored video of my performance, not only defaming me, but also inciting a backlash towards the LGBTQIA+ community statewide. I have no choice but to take legal action to hold those responsible for the lies accountable for their actions.”

The Pride event in Coeur d’Alene received nationwide news coverage after 31 men affiliated with the white nationalist group Patriot Front were arrested on their way to the park where it was being held. They were seen loading tactical gear and then climbing into a U-Haul truck, and police stopped the truck and made arrests after being tipped off by witnesses.