Watch: House Republican claims 'friends of mine that are homosexual' support drag bans

United States Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) claimed to Newsmax on Tuesday that he has LGBTQ+ friends who support his state's proposed ban on "cabaret" performances.

Senate Bill 3, which was signed into law by Republican Governor Bill Lee this week, "forbids performances in those places by topless, go-go or exotic dancers, strippers, or male or female impersonators who, as the law defines it, provides entertainment that is 'harmful to minors,'" The New York Times explained on Sunday.

"The word 'drag' does not appear in the legislation," the Times noted. "And to some legal experts, the description provided in the letter of the law would not apply to drag as they know it. But many in the state are still trying to grasp how the measure will ultimately affect drag events, theater performances that involve drag, and even transgender and gender nonconforming people as they go about their lives."

READ MORE: Watch: Anti-drag GOP governor bolts from reporters who unearthed photos of him in drag

Speaking to Newsmax, Burchett tossed out misleading tropes about drag and insisted that his "friends" agreed with him.

"A grown man dressed up like a woman should not be rubbing his crotch in front of a little child, right? That is ridiculous. Good on Governor Bill Lee and our Tennessee legislature. The law goes into effect on July 1st. And, and you know, dad gamit, we don't put up with that, that, that crap in Tennessee and we shouldn't, and the rest of the country should fall a suit," he said.

"This is, this is wrong, as wrong as it can be. And we've, we've, we've let this, these bunch of radicals push the envelope. You know, I have friends of mine that are, that are homosexual and they tell me that, and, and they tell me the same thing," the lawmaker continued. "They say, 'kids shouldn't be exposed to this. Right?' This is a radical fringe that we are allowing to, to declare normalcy. This is wrong as wrong, can be."

Watch below or at this link.

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