Biden-Appointed Judge Rejects Maine Rep. Laurel Libby’s Bid to Overturn Censure in Trans Athlete Dispute

A federal judge has shot down Maine Rep. Laurel Libby’s attempt to overturn a censure that’s kept her silent and sidelined in the state legislature for more than two months. The censure, handed down in February, stemmed from Libby’s social media post identifying a transgender athlete who had just claimed a girls’ state pole vault title—an act that set off fireworks in the state’s ongoing debate over gender and sports.

The ruling came Friday from U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose, a Biden appointee from Rhode Island who only got the case after a remarkable exodus: every single federal judge in Maine recused themselves without explanation. Talk about passing the hot potato—DuBose was the last judge standing.

DuBose denied Libby’s motion for a preliminary injunction, siding with House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and the majority of Maine lawmakers who supported the censure. The judge determined that the sanction process reflected the will of the legislative body, not just the Speaker’s whim.

Libby, representing some 9,000 Mainers in the 90th district, hasn’t been able to speak or vote on their behalf for 62 days. That silence cost her a shot at the state’s biannual budget and a proposed bill to expand mental health resources. With the censure still in place, Libby is also barred from weighing in on a high-profile bill that would enshrine trans inclusion in girls’ sports directly into the state’s constitution.

"I certainly won’t leave any stone unturned in getting my constituents their voice and vote back," Libby said after the ruling, vowing to appeal to higher courts and, if necessary, even the Supreme Court.

This local controversy has ballooned into a national legal fight, with the Trump administration’s Justice Department suing Maine for allegedly defying an executive order on trans athletes in women’s sports. The federal government has launched two investigations and even froze USDA funding before a separate judge ordered those funds released again. Meanwhile, Maine’s Democratic leaders, including Gov. Janet Mills, are also fighting back in the courts.

The whole saga comes as public opinion in Maine tilts toward restricting school sports participation based on biological sex, according to a recent survey by the American Parents Coalition. Of 600 surveyed registered voters, 63% said school sports should be based on biological sex, while 66% agreed that women’s sports should be reserved for biological women. That’s a clear majority, and it includes a sizable chunk of independents and parents of young kids.

For now, the censure stands, and Libby remains benched as her colleagues prepare to vote on the constitutional amendment. If it passes, Maine’s Human Rights Act—which allows transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity—would become a permanent part of state law.