Overview

• U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose ruled against Rep. Laurel Libby’s request for a preliminary injunction to block her censure by the Maine House.
• The court upheld legislative immunity, shielding House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and other officials from Libby’s claims of free speech violations.
• Libby was censured in February in a 75-70 vote for a social media post about a transgender athlete, which included a photo of the minor and criticized their participation in a girls' track event.
• The ruling leaves Libby barred from speaking or voting on the House floor while her appeal to the First Circuit Court proceeds.
• This legal battle unfolds alongside a federal lawsuit by the Trump administration against Maine over its policies on transgender athletes, intensifying the clash over Title IX and gender identity rights.