Maine House censures lawmaker for post about transgender student

[Jessica_Rose]

Maine House censures lawmaker for post about transgender student

https://mainemorningstar.com/2025/02/25/maine-house-censures-lawmaker-for-post-about-transgender-student/

By: Emma Davis - February 25, 2025

The Maine House of Representatives voted to censure Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) for posting on her legislative Facebook page photographs and personal details about a transgender high school athlete.

After the 75-70 vote Tuesday night to censure — an official statement of condemnation by the Legislature — Libby declined to submit an apology to the body, meaning she is in violation of the House rules and therefore unable to cast a vote or speak on the floor until she complies.

"I urge you, and indeed every member of this body, to recommit to keeping kids out of the political fray as has long been observed in both our state and federal politic," Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) said to Libby after the vote. "Maine kids and all Maine people deserve better."

Fecteau explained on the floor that he reached out to Libby earlier this week to request she take down the post, which has since received national attention, but she refused.

Rep. Christina Mitchell (D-Cumberland), a teacher who represents the county where the student in the post resides, said parents have reached out to her to express their upset and concern.

"The representative from Auburn's actions have directly harmed the school, the families and our children in my community, and it's all happening because one person, an adult, a legislator, chose to use a child to score political points," Mitchell said.