Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is investigating a local bar for hosting a drag show, according to a report from Texas Scorecard.
Ebb & Flow, a bar in Plano, is reportedly under investigation, as indicated by records the news site obtained.
The initial controversy stemmed from a video taken by Sara Gonzales of Defend Our Kids Texas back in October, which shows drag dancers performing in front of a child who was brought into the show.
The investigation is apparently centered around the requirement for sexually oriented businesses to pay an additional $5 patron tax and disallow entry to such shows for anyone under the age of 18.
The comptroller wrote a letter in February to Ebb & Flow asking if it is a sexually oriented business.
“As the Legislature takes critical steps to protect Texas children and strengthen statutes to restrict sexualized performances, my office will continue to work within the confines of existing law and investigate performances to determine if an entity must pay the fees associated with operating a sexually oriented business,” Hegar told Texas Scorecard.
Dallas Hale, the owner of the Ebb & Flow, told the Dallas Observer in October that the bar had received threats over the drag shows and claimed the drag shows were not intended to sexualize children.
Hale said parents brought a child to the drag show that Gonzales filmed, and he had warned the parents that the show would have adult content.
The parents dismissed those words of caution, according to Hale, saying that they had brought the child to “a million drag shows and that’s why we bought tickets for this,” per the Dallas Observer.
The Dallas Express reached out to Texas Reps. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) and Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) to ask if they were aware of the investigation but did not hear back by the time of publication.
The Dallas Express also reached out to Ebb & Flow owner Dallas Hale but did not receive a response.
