Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has opened an investigation into Linda Moore, the Vice Mayor of Vero Beach and owner of Kilted Mermaid, over a "Pride Tea Dance" that occurred in June.
Uthmeier subpoenaed Moore on Tuesday after the local wine bar hosted a drag show performance, allegedly advertised as "all ages welcome," which supposedly featured adult, sexualized performers in front of children, in violation of Florida law.
The attorney general specifically claimed the performers wore "revealing attire and burlesque outfits while interacting with the children."
"In Florida, we don't sacrifice the innocence of children for the perversions of some demented adults," Uthmeier said in a press release. "The Office of Statewide Prosecution opened an investigation into this sexualized performance to determine the extent of the content and exposure to children."
Uthmeier's subpoena is seeking the following during the investigation. They include any video recordings from the event, logs, notes, or documents about personnel operating the cameras, copies of employee work schedules working on the dates of June 28, 2025, to June 30, 2025, as well as performers, DJs, entertainers, or independent contractors who performed or provided entertainment at the establishment on on June 29.
The attorney general is also seeking guest lists, ticket sales records, copies of written polices and procedures, training manuals, security on duty, and employees responsible for checking identification and verifying the ages of attendees at the establishment on June 29.
Moore and the Kilted Mermaid have until August 8 at 9:00 a.m. to provide Uthmeier with the necessary documents.
The investigation into Moore and the Kilted Mermaid follows a similar situation involving a drag show performance in Naples in June. In that case, a federal appeals court denied the drag show performance from taking place outdoors at Cambier Park during Naples Pride Fest, while also requiring attendees to be at least 18 years of age.
