A grassroots parental rights organization was barred from attending a state fair in Alaska after being accused of being a “hate group” by a local activist citing a controversial left-leaning watchdog organization.
Moms for Liberty, a prominent national conservative group known for challenging public school library books and curricula they deem inappropriate for minors, was denied an application to set up a one-day booth at the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks—Alaska’s oldest state fair.
“Defending parental rights and standing up for your children is not extremist,” Moms For Liberty President Tiffany Justice told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
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According to Justice, the Fairbanks chapter run by Gail McBride received a rejection letter on April 27 from the fair’s board rejecting their application to participate in the event.
“It was pretty interesting,” McBride, chair of the Moms for Liberty Fairbanks chapter, told the Alaska Watchman. “The community needs to know it’s another one of these attempts to cancel conservatives by screaming loudly.”
Scott Vance, the executive director of the Tanana Valley State Fair Association (TVSFA), told Fox News Digital that “members of and peoples associated with the local chapter have lacked decorum at board meetings, antagonized staff, and association members in the past several months.”
“The Tanana Valley State Fair Association reserves the right to deny any application at its sole discretion. Applications that, in the judgment of the Association, may reasonably be expected to create disruption, compromise the safety or comfort of attendees, or conflict with the Fair’s mission to provide a welcoming, family-oriented environment will not be accepted,” Vance said.
He continued, “Vendors are responsible for their own actions, as well as the actions of their agents, employees, volunteers, and supplier.”
Aiming to promote their mission of defending parental rights, the conservative group’s local chapter applied for a single-day table at the annual gathering. Historically, the fair has been known for family-friendly events, livestock exhibits, and local crafts.
McBride reportedly attended a Tanana Valley State Fair Board of Directors meeting on April 15 to introduce the chapter and correct what she described as local misinformation about the group. Following her remarks, David Leslie, a former fair employee who remains heavily involved in the event, addressed the board to object to the group’s presence.
Leslie claimed that Moms for Liberty is an “anti-government, extremist hate group,” pointing to its designation by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
“They target LGBT people specifically,” Leslie claimed, according to local reports by the Alaska Watchman. “This is extremely dangerous. People die because of hate. People kill themselves.”
The SPLC released its Year in Hate & Extremism report in 2022, designating Moms For Liberty as an “extremist group.” An official from the group claimed Moms For Liberty seeks “to undermine public education holistically,” NPR reported in 2023.
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Leslie also used his time to criticize the fair board for previously canceling a local drag performance and urged current members to bar anyone associated with Moms for Liberty from ever running for a seat on the fair board.
A few days after the meeting, the fair’s board of directors officially rejected the chapter’s application for a one-day table without publicly providing a formal reason for the denial. McBride responded to the board in a June 25 letter, writing that she was “surprised to have been rejected” and asserting that the board’s decision “does not represent our community.”
In her response, McBride also fired back at the board’s reliance on the SPLC’s “hate group” label, pointing to the watchdog organization’s own mounting legal troubles. The SPLC has faced intense national scrutiny following a federal grand jury indictment charging the organization with multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Justice told Fox News Digital that the organization is “exploring legal actions right now” after being rejected to participate in the fair. She added that the SPLC is used by government entities as a source to identify “hate groups” and that the incident in Alaska is not the first.
“The one that comes to mind is in Williamson County, Texas … they can’t participate because they’re on the SPLC hate map. Yes, it is a continuing problem all across the country,” Justice said.
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Citing the TVSFA mission in his statement to Fox News Digital, Vance quoted “The Fair encourages and welcomes involvement by all” and claimed that “the reputation of the overall organization and actions of the local associates does not align with” their mission.
“TVSFA reserves the right to deny applications for any reason, and all decisions are final. Ultimately, the final decision to approve vendors lies at the discretion of the TVSFA Executive Director,” Vance said.
He concluded, “I have the unenviable task of sorting through all grievances and reports from our staff, members, and the community. Based on multiple issues that have come to my attention, this is the best decision that aligns with the mission of the fair and fostering a welcoming environment.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
