The U.S. Supreme Court reinstates Rep. Laurel Libby's House voting rights, calling her censure “indisputably unconstitutional.”

Supreme Court Overrules Maine Lawmakers in Trans Athlete Controversy

In a 7–2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Maine legislature to revoke its censure of Republican State Representative Laurel Libby, restoring her voting rights in the House after a three-month suspension. The censure stemmed from a social media post in which Libby identified a transgender high school athlete who won a girls’ pole vault event. The Court found her entitlement to relief “indisputably clear.”

Libby celebrated the ruling, calling it a victory for both her constituents and the U.S. Constitution. “No state legislature has the power to silence an elected official simply for speaking truthfully about issues that matter,” she said.

The controversy began on February 15 when the Democrat-led Maine House censured Libby for her post, which critics claimed endangered a minor and violated political norms. Libby rejected calls to delete the post or apologize, arguing the athlete had already been named publicly in the press.

After being barred from floor votes and debates, Libby filed a lawsuit against Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, who had demanded she take down the post. Fecteau warned in a letter that her remarks risked the minor’s safety and violated “the tradition of leaving kids out of it.”

Lower courts, including the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, had ruled against Libby. However, the Supreme Court’s emergency ruling reversed those decisions, allowing her to cast votes once again, although she remains barred from speaking on the floor.

Ongoing Legal Fight and Political Fallout

Libby, backed by the U.S. Department of Justice and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, framed the case as a civil rights battle. “No one should ever be silenced for speaking up on behalf of our girls,” she said, warning that if her censure stood, it would set a dangerous precedent nationwide.

Bondi also filed an amicus brief and publicly supported Libby, stating, “We will always protect girls’ sports and girls’ spaces from radical gender ideology.” The DOJ has also filed its own lawsuit against the state of Maine for defying President Trump’s executive order that mandates only biological females may compete in girls’ sports.

Fecteau acknowledged the Supreme Court’s ruling and confirmed that the Clerk of the House had restored Libby’s voting rights “until the current appeal process runs its course.”

Still, Libby’s legal battle is far from over. The First Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear oral arguments on June 5 regarding her full reinstatement, including the right to speak on the House floor. Libby also expressed interest in having her past votes retroactively recorded—she missed votes on the state budget and a bill that seeks to codify trans inclusion in sports into Maine’s constitution.

Polling by the American Parents Coalition shows that 63% of Maine voters believe school sports should be based on biological sex, lending public support to Libby’s position. Multiple school districts in Maine have already adopted policies limiting girls’ sports to female students, and the capital city has seen several large-scale protests since February.

“This sends a message that they cannot continue to operate outside of the Constitution,” Libby said, calling out both Fecteau and Governor Janet Mills. “We’re not just fighting for Maine girls, we’re defending the First Amendment.”