AUGUSTA, Maine — Laurel Libby, a Republican state representative from Auburn, is taking her fight to the U.S. Supreme Court after being censured by Maine’s Democratic-led House for a social media post about a transgender high school athlete. The move, filed on April 28, 2025, asks the nation’s highest court to restore her voting and speaking rights in the state legislature, arguing the censure stomps on her free speech and silences the 9,000 constituents she represents.
The saga kicked off in February when Libby posted on Facebook about a transgender girl who won the girls’ pole vault at a Maine high school track championship. The post included the athlete’s first name and photos—one from the prior year, competing as a boy, and another from the recent girls’ event. Libby’s point was blunt: she believes biological males shouldn’t compete in girls’ sports. The post exploded, catching the eye of national conservative outlets and even President Donald Trump, who used it to fuel a public spat with Maine’s Democratic Governor, Janet Mills, over his executive order banning transgender athletes from girls’ sports.
By February 25, the Maine House, controlled by Democrats, voted 75-70 to censure Libby, a rare slap reserved for only a handful of lawmakers in the state’s history. House Speaker Ryan Fecteau didn’t stop at a verbal rebuke. He barred Libby from speaking or voting on the House floor until she apologizes—a punishment her legal team calls unprecedented and unconstitutional. Fecteau argued the post violated legislative ethics by sharing a minor’s image and name without consent, accusing Libby of targeting a student to score political points.
Libby, a third-term lawmaker known for her conservative fundraising clout, didn’t back down. She refused to apologize, insisting her post was about policy, not personal attacks. “It’s not fair to Maine girls,” she said in a floor speech cut short by Democratic objections. Her defiance led to a federal lawsuit filed in March against Fecteau and House Clerk Robert Hunt, claiming the censure violated her First Amendment rights and disenfranchised her district. A Rhode Island federal judge—after every Maine judge recused themselves—ruled against her on April 19. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also denied her bid for a quick injunction, prompting the Supreme Court appeal.
The emergency filing, submitted to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who oversees the 1st Circuit, seeks a ruling by May 6, when the Maine House reconvenes. Libby’s lawyers argue the censure isn’t just a reprimand—it’s a gag order that strips her district of representation. “Her vote belongs to her constituents, not her. Silencing her silences them,” the appeal states, comparing the punishment to rigging a district out of a redistricting plan.
The case dovetails with a broader clash between Maine and the Trump administration. On April 16, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Maine, alleging the state’s refusal to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports violates Title IX, the federal law barring sex-based discrimination in schools. Trump’s executive order, signed shortly after his January 2025 inauguration, has sparked legal battles nationwide, with Maine’s Mills vowing to fight in court. “We follow state and federal law,” Mills said, dismissing Trump’s threats to yank federal funding.
Libby’s Supreme Court bid isn’t just about her. It’s a test of how far a legislature can go to punish a member’s speech—and whether her constituents will get their voice back before the next vote. The clock’s ticking, and the court’s decision could ripple far beyond Augusta.