On June 12, 2025, South Carolina Republican state Representative RJ May III was arrested on nearly a dozen federal charges for distributing child sexual abuse material, recently honored by Moms for Liberty, a conservative group labeled nationally as a hate group known for its anti-LGBTQ+ activism. Honored as their 2023 Legislator of the Year and a speaker at their 2022 summit, May’s arrest highlights a stark but all too familiar contradiction: an organization that accuses the queer community of “grooming” children has repeatedly been linked to and promoting individuals directly involved in child-related sex offenses. This article explores May’s case, Moms for Liberty’s ties to prominent Republicans like former Florida Attorney General and now Senator Ashley Moody, and a broader pattern of hypocrisy among conservative figures who focus on banning books to “protect children,” loudly oppose LGBTQ+ rights while facing allegations and convictions of actually harming children.
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RJ May’s Arrest
RJ May, a three-term Republican legislator and former co-chair of South Carolina’s ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, was arrested at his Lexington County home following a lengthy investigation into his online activities. According to court documents, May allegedly used the screen name “joebidennnn69” on the Kik social media platform to exchange 220 files depicting toddlers and young children engaged in sexual acts during spring 2024. Prosecutors also allege that he “has a sexual interest in children the same age as his own children” and that he has “a sexual interest in incest” between young children and their parents.
These files were traced to his home Wi-Fi and cellphone, with some obscured by a private network, though others were directly linked to his internet addresses (The Guardian). Prosecutors further allege that May traveled to Colombia under a fake name, with videos on his laptop purportedly showing him engaging in paid sex with 3 girls who appeared underage, though authorities could not locate them. Each of the 10 charges carries a potential 5-to-20-year prison sentence, and prosecutors suggest a conviction could result in over a decade behind bars.
Moms have been busy at the @Moms4Liberty Legislative Days in South Carolina today!
Building relationships and advocating for the change they know South Carolina needs to protect #parentalrights and our children!
May’s attorney has argued that someone else could have accessed his Wi-Fi, noting that no child sexual abuse images were found directly on his laptop or cellphone. However, the evidence linking the files to his devices and the graphic nature of the allegations have led to his expulsion from the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, which he co-founded, and calls for his resignation. May, who has a wife and young child, appeared in court on June 12, 2025, and was ordered to remain jailed until trial. May’s social media and news reports showed he was obsessed with things like CRT, “parental rights,” and gender studies. He was South Carolina’s sponsor for their Parental Rights Bill and other legislation often tied to Moms for Liberty. “We as legislators have an obligation to insure that our children have no harm done to them,” May said during a House floor debate on the bill.
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Below are a few notable Tweets authored by the Moms for Liberty Legislator of the Year. Many of his social media posts are similar if not identical to a Central Florida Representative very close to Moms for Liberty. There’s a very fine line between the two lawmakers:
Wonder if this includes exposing children to drag shows or pushing sex changes on toddlers? https://t.co/rTzWan9nju
People will just come up and touch your baby… It amazes me. I don't know you. I don't know where your hands have been. Beth is wearing lil Bobby and this guy tries to stick his FINGER in Bobby's MOUTH! Is it appropriate to grab an incoming hand to prevent unwanted touching?
Moms for Liberty, founded in 2021 by former Florida school board members Tiffany Justice, Tina Descovich, and Bridget Ziegler, has positioned itself as a defender of parental rights, opposing LGBTQ+-inclusive curricula, critical race theory, and COVID-19 mandates and vaccines in schools . The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the group an “anti-government extremist” organization for its efforts to ban books addressing gender and sexuality, which it deems “pornography,” and for promoting the term “groomer” to vilify LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. These accusations, rooted in decades-old stereotypes, have been criticized for inciting hatred and violence against queer communities. Ironically, founder Bridget Ziegler has been all but whiped away from the records of Moms for Liberty after she and her husband, then Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler were forced to admit their 3-way bedroom activities to law enforcement when Christian was accused of raping one of their regular “partners.” All while touting and promoting traditional Christian conservative family values and demonizing those that opposed them.
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May’s arrest is particularly damning given his prominence within Moms for Liberty. Honored as their 2023 Legislator of the Year and a speaker at their 2022 summit on “Reclaiming Education in America,” May was a vocal supporter of their agenda. During a 2024 debate, he compared Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care to supporting harmful “lifestyles,” aligning with the group’s anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. The absence of any public statement from Moms for Liberty regarding May’s arrest, as of June 14, 2025, further fuels criticism of their selective outrage on child safety issues.
RJ May was one of the Moms for Liberty featured speakers at their 2022 event on “Reclaiming Education in America.”Â
Another Moms for Liberty Scandal: Phillip Fisher Jr.
May’s case is not the first instance of Moms for Liberty associating with individuals linked to child-related offenses. In 2023, Phillip Fisher Jr., a pastor and outreach leader for the group’s Philadelphia chapter, was exposed as a registered sex offender. Fisher pleaded guilty in 2012 to aggravated sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy when he was 25, serving three years in prison and two years of supervised release (The Guardian). Despite his criminal history, he volunteered at Moms for Liberty’s 2023 national summit in Philadelphia. The organization claimed Fisher passed a background check through Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services, posting a certification on X to defend him. Co-founder Tina Descovich stated that all volunteers are vetted, asserting Fisher was “ALL CLEAR”. Fisher himself claimed the charges were fabricated, but his registration on Illinois and national sex offender lists contradicts this.
This incident raised serious concerns about Moms for Liberty’s vetting processes and their commitment to child protection, given their public stance against perceived threats to children. The Philadelphia Republican committee demanded and received Fisher’s resignation, but Moms for Liberty’s defense of him underscores a troubling pattern.
Ashley Moody’s Partnership with Moms for Liberty
Moms for Liberty’s influence extends to prominent Republican figures, notably Florida former Attorney General and now appointed US Senator Ashley Moody, who spoke at their 2022 national summit in Tampa on July 16, 2022. Addressing an audience of approximately 500, mostly white women, Moody criticized the “radical programming of our children,” COVID-19 lockdowns, Big Tech censorship, and lax border enforcement, aligning with the group’s conservative agenda. She notably avoided discussing abortion, despite pro-choice protesters outside the event carrying signs like “We won’t go back, we will fight back.” Moody’s appearance, alongside other Republican heavyweights like Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Rick Scott, highlights the group’s deep ties to the Republican Party. At the time, Moody was campaigning for reelection, unopposed in the Republican primary, further illustrating the political capital Moms for Liberty wields.
At the Supreme Court today, I joined @EdSecMcMahon and @Moms4Liberty to support parental rights in education and celebrate 100 years since the Pierce v. Society of Sisters decision.
Parents must be able to decide the education that meets the needs and moral standards of their… pic.twitter.com/Juvc5kLc5W
— Senator Ashley Moody (@SenAshleyMoody) June 3, 2025
Moody’s participation shows the group’s role as a powerful ally for Republican leaders, even as its endorsed figures face serious allegations. Her silence on the controversies surrounding May and Fisher, as of June 13, 2025, mirrors Moms for Liberty’s own lack of response, raising questions about accountability within conservative circles.
The cases of RJ May and Phillip Fisher Jr. are part of a broader pattern where some Republican figures, particularly those vocal against LGBTQ+ rights, have been implicated in child exploitation scandals.
The arrest of RJ May and the exposure of Phillip Fisher Jr. as a registered sex offender cast a harsh light on Moms for Liberty’s credibility as a champion of child safety. Brevard County School Board Chair and Moms for Liberty Member Gene Trent made national news when he stated that a house party of about 200 children hosted at one of his Cocoa Beach Principals homes that had drugs, alcohol, guns, fights, DUI’s, medical emergencies, “no big deal.”
Former 3rd grade teacher Karly Anderson was just convicted by a jury of multiple charges stemming from her involvement in the party, and the principal, Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan is still waiting for court for her felony charges from the party, that the children said was a regular occurrence at her residence. Moms for Liberty’s Trent also tried to ban nearly 300 books at one time in order to “protect the children.”
Their campaigns against LGBTQ+-inclusive education and accusations of “grooming” stand in stark contrast to the actions of their endorsed figures. The group’s ties to influential Republicans like Ashley Moody, who has publicly supported their agenda, further complicate the narrative, suggesting a political alliance that prioritizes ideology over accountability. As these scandals unfold, the public is left to question whether the loudest voices for child protection are truly committed to that cause or are merely leveraging it for political gain. Genuine child safety requires transparency, rigorous vetting, and a commitment to addressing harm wherever it occurs, regardless of political affiliation.
Time after time, each time the public is exposed to yet another actual child predator, it’s often the very ones who are making the loudest accusations, turn out to be the actual worst perpetrators. It seems apparent that in order to actually protect children, you have to take a closer and constant look at the ones who claim to be the champions of it. We will certainly be watching.
