'Graphic materials' warning appears on DeSantis super PAC mailings to primary voters in Iowa, SC
Mailer depicts censored 'sexually graphic' content DeSantis banned from schools
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EXCLUSIVE: A new mailer from Never Back Down, a super PAC backing Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, is going out this week to hundreds of thousands of households in Iowa and South Carolina in an effort to debunk what they are describing as a book ban hoax.
The mailer comes with a disclaimer that reads, "Warning: The contents of this mailer include sexually graphic materials that Ron DeSantis removed from schools."
It includes censored excerpts from the book "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe, which the governor’s office has previously described as an "explicit, pornographic book showing sex acts."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This is a censored version of an actual book that Governor DeSantis helped parents remove from Florida schools. The uncensored version is much more graphic," the mailer states.
A new mailer from Never Back Down, a super PAC backing Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, comes with a disclaimer. (Getty/Never Back Down)
A new mailer from Never Back Down is going out this week to households in Iowa and South Carolina. (Never Back Down)
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The censored excerpts from the book included in the mailer talk about sock stuffing and masturbation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Only DeSantis is battling and winning against woke corporations, trying to brainwash our kids — even the most powerful ones in his own backyard," the mailer continues. "Ron DeSantis is the only leader standing up to the Woke elites for parents and kids."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican Party's nomination for president, holds a rally in Gilbert, South Carolina, on June 2, 2023. (Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Parts of the "Gender Queer" book that were not included in the Never Back Down mailer include cartoon images depicting sex toys, gay sex and other graphic material.
DeSantis supported a law last year, HB 1467, that requires only approved books to be included in schools, and that approval must be done by a certified media specialist.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democrats have accused DeSantis of banning books, but the governor says that's a false narrative.
The mailer includes excerpts from "Gender Queer: A Memoir." (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In March, DeSantis was showing sexually explicit material from some of the books during a press conference when local media outlets reportedly cut away from the live event, inadvertently proving his point.
The White House faced backlash from conservatives earlier this month after announcing a "book ban" coordinator would be appointed to address the threat posed by the bans on books in school libraries.
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The White House said removing the books from schools may create a hostile environment for some students.
"Book banning erodes our democracy, removes vital resources for student learning, and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQI+ people and other communities face," the White House said. "That coordinator will work to provide new trainings for schools nationwide on how book bans that target specific communities and create a hostile school environment may violate federal civil rights laws."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Amy Nelson contributed to this report.