(The Center Square) — A four-month legislative censure against a Maine Republican representative came to an end this week.
The state House of Representatives voted Wednesday night to fully restore Rep. Laurel Libby’s speaking and voting privileges after she posted critical social media comments about transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports.
The move reversed a February vote that had prevented the Auburn lawmaker from speaking on the House floor or voting on bills until she publicly apologized for her comments. It comes nearly a month after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Libby’s censure vote.
“This is a victory not just for me — but for every Mainer who believes in the rule of law, the First Amendment, and the right to be represented in their government,” Libby said. “The Democrats caved because they knew they were losing in court. They’ve now been forced to admit what the Constitution has said all along: elected representatives cannot be silenced for speaking the truth.”
Libby represents just under 9,000 residents in the state’s 90th House distrct.
A lawsuit in March by Libby and several of her constituents sought to overturn the censure vote brought by House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, but the legal challenge was rejected by a federal judge who said the court lacks jurisdiction to meddle in the “internal” policies of the Maine Legislature.
Libby appealed the ruling, but the First Circuit Court of Appeals denied her request in a recent order. She then petitioned the Supreme Court to take up her case, which in May granted a preliminary injunction blocking the House’ censure vote.
Libby’s legal challenge was backed by West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey and 14 other GOP attorneys general, who asked the high court to grant Libby’s request to block the censure.
In court filings, Libby’s legal team argued the censure violates her First Amendment rights to free speech and tied it to broader legislative rights. Libby has refused to apologize or take down the Facebook post.
“From day one, this was a blatant violation of the Constitution,” Libby said. “I have never apologized, and never will apologize, for speaking up in defense of Maine girls and their right to a fair, safe, and level playing field.”
Maine has become a flashpoint in the national debate over trans athletes in girls’ and female sports since President Donald Trump vowed to withhold federal funding from any state that fails to comply with his “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. Trump has clashed with Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who argues that the state complies with federal anti-discrimination laws.
In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education and other entities over alleged violations of Title IX for allowing the participation of male athletes in female-only high school and college sports. Bondi accused the state and its education officials of “discriminating” against women.
