Maine State Representative Laurel Libby is taking a victory lap after a landmark ruling restored her voting rights stripped by the Democratic majority for speaking out against boys in girls’ sports.
Rep. Libby had posted pictures of a transgender athlete participating in a girls’ pole vault competition in a viral social media post. She had highlighted that the transgender athlete had competed as a boy one year ago and clocked the fifth position. One year later, he competed as a girl and won the girls’ Maine State Class B Championship.
“We’ve learned that just *ONE* year ago John was competing in boys’ pole vault… that’s when he had his 5th place finish,” Libby posted on Facebook. “Tonight, ‘Katie’ won 1st place in the girls’ Maine State Class B Championship.”
However, Democrats claimed that Libby’s post violated the House code of conduct for identifying a minor and voted to censure her. On February 25, Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau turned off her voting device and blocked her from speaking after she refused to apologize.
She escalated the legislative battle through the justice system by filing a lawsuit alleging the violation of her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and disenfranchisement of her constituents.
However, the lower courts denied her request to intervene, claiming “legislative immunity.” Subsequently, she escalated the challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking relief. The Trump administration supported her throughout the journey by filing an amicus brief.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in her favor, with female Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting.
“This is a victory not just for my constituents, but for the Constitution itself. The Supreme Court has affirmed what should never have been in question — that no state legislature has the power to silence an elected official simply for speaking truthfully about issues that matter,” Libby said in a statement.
Speaking to Riley Gaines, a former collegiate athlete defeated by a biological man, she recounted slamming the House Speaker for choosing the wrong side of history by silencing a woman fighting for girls’ rights.
“Speaker, you’re going to go down in history as a man who silenced a woman for speaking up for girls,” she said.
Meanwhile, her uncounted votes, including on the Maine Human Rights Act, which codifies the protection of biological men in women’s sports, will soon reflect. However, she still cannot speak on the House floor, awaiting the lower courts’ ruling.
“Yesterday Speaker Ryan Fecteau was required to turn my voting device back on following the Supreme Court ruling,” she tweeted.
“I look forward to voting tomorrow, when we are back in session, on behalf of my 9,000 constituents, who have had their voices silenced for the last three months.”
Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau has promised to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling and restore her voting rights.
“In accordance with the Supreme Court’s injunction pending appeal, Representative Libby’s ability to vote on the floor of the House has been restored until the current appeal process runs its course,” the Maine House speaker told Fox News Digital.
Speaking to the same outlet, Libby slammed Democrats for using privacy rights as an excuse to censure her for opposing the participation of biological men in women’s sports. She noted that other lawmakers have previously posted photos of minors but faced no consequences, highlighting the Democratic Party’s double standards.
Besides, school championships are public events, and players are usually identified. Before Libby posted about the transgender teen athlete, news of him winning the girls’ championship was making rounds on social media. Nonetheless, the Maine House speaker claimed that was no excuse for her to post a minor’s identifying information.
