The Republican lawmaker who was censured for her Facebook post about a transgender student has filed a lawsuit against the speaker of the House of Representatives, arguing that the Democrats in the Legislature violated her constitutional rights.
Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, filed the suit in U.S. District Court on Tuesday in response to her censure by the Legislature last month. Democrats argued Libby crossed a line by including photos of a transgender high school athlete as part of her criticism of Maine’s policy of allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.
Libby said in a news release Tuesday that House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, violated her First and 14th Amendment rights with the censure. The censure means Libby cannot vote or speak on the House floor unless she apologizes for the post, something she has said she does not plan to do.
