Maine and a GOP lawmaker who ID'd a transgender athlete online agree lawsuit is now moot
Share and Follow


PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Attorneys for the state of Maine and a conservative lawmaker who identified a transgender teen student athlete online now agree that the lawmaker’s appeal over her loss of voting rights for her post is now moot.

Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby identified the athlete in a February social media post that went viral and called into question the student’s gender identity, bringing attention to the issue of transgender teens participating in sports. Maine’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives censured Libby for violating the House code of ethics and blocked her from speaking and voting on the floor.

Libby sued, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in May that the Maine legislature must allow her to vote. Lawmakers voted in June to halt the restrictions.

Maine Assistant Attorney General Kimberly Patwardhan said in court papers filed late last month that there are “no longer any restrictions on Rep. Libby’s ability to vote or debate” and “this appeal is now moot.” Libby said in a statement Monday that she will “not contest the AG’s mootness argument” and added that she never provided the apology House Democrats asked of her.

“I believe this case sends a clear message: elected officials do not surrender their constitutional rights at the Capitol steps — and neither do the people who sent them there,” Libby said.

The appeal still needs to be formally dismissed by a court, but it is essentially dropped “given that both parties are in agreement about the mootness issue,” said Danna Hayes, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.

Libby’s post was about a high school athlete who won a girls’ track competition. She said the student had previously competed in boys’ track. Her post included a photo of the student and first-name identification in quotation marks.

The post preceded a public disagreement between President Donald Trump and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills over the subject of transgender athletes. Trump signed an executive order designed to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports earlier this year. At a meeting of governors at the White House in February, Trump characterized Maine as out of compliance with order.

Mills told Trump: “We’ll see you in court.” The Trump administration then launched investigations into Maine’s Title IX compliance. An attorney for the state said in April that the state and federal government are at an impasse over the subject.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
NYC hospital warns striking nurses they'll lose health benefits as work stoppage drags on

NYC Hospital Threatens to Cut Health Benefits Amid Prolonged Nurse Strike: What It Means for Healthcare Workers

Montefiore Medical Center has issued a stern ultimatum to its striking nurses…
'Sinners' sets Oscars record with 16 nominations

Historic Oscars Milestone: ‘Sinners’ Breaks Records with 16 Unprecedented Nominations

Ryan Coogler’s film “Sinners,” a vampire saga infused with blues, topped the…
Nicki Minaj risks losing her $20m mansion over unpaid judgment sum

Nicki Minaj Faces $20M Mansion Foreclosure: Unpaid Judgment Threatens Lavish Home

Nicki Minaj has been mandated to pay a sum of $503,000 after…
Phoenix gas station murder suspect had weapons charge tossed before fatal shooting, records show

Phoenix Gas Station Tragedy: Suspect’s Prior Weapons Charge Dismissed Before Shooting

The individual charged with the fatal shooting of a 52-year-old man at…
Kristi Noem's 'evil' plot to oust Trump border boss sparks Cabinet war

Kristi Noem’s Controversial Strategy to Replace Trump Border Chief Ignites Cabinet Tensions

A new report reveals that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney…
Former Iowa school superintendent arrested by ICE expected to plead guilty to federal charges

Ex-Iowa School Superintendent Faces Guilty Plea in Federal Charges Following ICE Arrest

Ian Roberts, who once helmed Iowa’s largest school district as superintendent, is…
Judge in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case denies motion asking for clarity from confessed hitman

Judge Rejects Motion for Clarity in Jared Bridegan Murder-for-Hire Case: What This Means for the Confessed Hitman

Lawyers representing Mario Fernandez-Saldana have requested to submit questions to Henry Tenon,…
New city claims the title of busiest U.S. airport

Discover the New Champion: The U.S. City That Now Hosts the Busiest Airport

Atlanta has long reigned as the busiest airport in the U.S., but…