Maine Rep Laurel Libby files lawsuit over censure for calling out trans athlete in girls' sports
Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby has filed a lawsuit against Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau after she was censured on Feb. 15 for her social media post about a trans high school athlete.
The lawsuit seeks to have Libby's voting and speaking rights restored. Maine House Clerk Robert Hunt is named as the other defendant in the lawsuit. Libby was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. However, she has said she will not apologize.
Libby's censure came in response to a social media post in which she pointed out a high school trans athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition. The post ignited a nationwide controversy and a spat between Democrat Maine Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump, prompting federal agencies to launch Title IX investigations against the state and school district where the athlete was enrolled.
A massive protest against Mills followed in Maine's capital of Augusta.
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The basis of the censure by Fecteau and Maine Democrats was Libby's post that identified a minor with a photograph and by name. However, Libby and her attorneys argue that the athlete had already been publicized in a positive light and was competing in the public forum of a state-sponsored athletic event.
"The championship was a public event, was streamed online, and the names, schools, and photographs of the winners were all posted publicly," states a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital.
Libby represents more than 9,000 constituents in Maine's House District 90, and six of them have signed onto the lawsuit as plaintiffs because the censure has impeded her ability to help carry out other legislative actions to serve those constituents.
"The speaker's actions did not just disenfranchise me but disenfranchised the thousands of constituents that I represent, and that's the bigger picture here; the fact that the speaker, in his eyes, retaliated against me because he doesn't like what I have to say," Libby said.
Libby recently proposed a bill to expand access to mental health resources for Maine residents, which she will now not be able to help push through. In the coming weeks, the Maine House will vote on the upcoming biannual budget, and Libby will not get to vote on that either.
For Libby, the lawsuit is not only meant to restore her rights to her and her constituents. She also says it's an important step to take in the national battle to combat trans inclusion in women's sports.
"Maine has, for whatever reason, become ground zero for this debate, and, of course, I want to have my voice back so I can speak to that; and as we address this issue within the legislature, I hope that all that has unfolded over the next few weeks can help change the course in the debate, so that not just Maine girls, but girls across the country, have a fair, safe and level playing field," Libby said.
Libby also encouraged Fecteau to simply restore her rights to avoid taking the case to court and costing Maine taxpayers the price of any potential litigation.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Fecteau's office for comment.
Meanwhile, Maine is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for potential Title IX violations over its refusal to comply with Trump's recent executive order to prevent trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.
HHS served a notice of violation to the state of Maine on Feb. 25 and declared the state violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports. HHS later expanded the scope of the investigation to include the Maine Principals Association and Greely High School.
Libby's revelation of the trans athlete prompted national media coverage of the state's policy on trans inclusion after Maine announced it would not comply with Trump's executive order. Trump then vowed to cut funding to the state for refusing to follow his order.
Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withheld federal funding from the state. Then Trump and Mills verbally sparred in a widely publicized argument at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.
Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate the state for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports and for potential Title IX violations.
Police protection was assigned to Greely High School.
The controversy even incited a protest against Mills called the "March Against Mills," which took place outside Maine's State House on Saturday morning. Several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against their Democrat governor.
A day later, eight pro-trans activists protested outside Libby's home in opposition to her views. They held signs reading "Shame on you Laurel 4 exploiting a child 4 your political gain" and "Protect trans youth," according to the Maine Wire.
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