Maine Lawmaker Sues Over Censure for Post on Transgender Athlete in Girls’ Sports

Rep. Laurel Libby claims her First Amendment rights were violated after being barred from speaking and voting in the state House.

Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby has filed a federal lawsuit against House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and House Clerk Robert Hunt, alleging unconstitutional retaliation for her social media post criticizing a transgender athlete’s participation in girls' sports.
Libby was censured by a Democratic-led vote in February after posting photos and identifying a transgender high school athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition, sparking national attention and controversy.
The censure prevents Libby from speaking or voting on the House floor until she issues an apology, which she has refused to do, citing her right to free speech and her duty to represent her constituents.
The lawsuit argues that the censure violates Libby’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and disenfranchises her 9,000 constituents in House District 90 by barring her participation in legislative activities.
The case is part of a broader debate over transgender athletes in sports, with Maine under federal investigation for potential Title IX violations following its refusal to comply with a Trump-era executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women’s sports.