SCOTUS Rules Maine Must Restore Vote To Rep. Laurel Libby, Who Spoke Out About Trans Athletes

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Maine Representative Laurel Libby won her appeal to the United States Supreme Court, which restored her voting rights following a censure by the Maine House of Representatives. 

"The U.S. Supreme Court just restored the voice of 9,000 Mainers!" Libby posted on X. "After 2+ months of being silenced for speaking up for Maine girls, I can once again vote on behalf of the people of House District 90. This is a win for free speech — and for the Constitution." 

Back in March, Libby spoke out against transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Libby's stance came after a male athlete won a high school girls' state title in pole-vaulting. Maine Speaker, Ryan Fecteau, elected to censure Libby for her stance, rather than applaud her for standing up for the girls in Maine. 

Since then, Libby has been disallowed from voting or speaking in the Maine House, which has essentially left her constituents without a voice in state government. Following the censure, Libby gave a statement to OutKick: 

"Biological males have no place in girls' sports. Our girls have every right, under federal law, to fair competition in sports. We will not let them be erased by the Democrat majority advancing a woke progressive agenda." 

The Supreme Court sided with Maine Rep. Laurel Libby who sought to have her vote restored after she was censured by the Maine House of Representatives for speaking out against transgender athletes.

The Supreme Court sided with Maine Rep. Laurel Libby, who sought to have her vote restored after she was censured by the Maine House of Representatives for speaking out against transgender athletes.

(Laurel Libby)

In April, Libby filed an emergency injunction, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end her censure and restore her rights. On Tuesday, SCOTUS obliged. However, the battle is not over yet.

In the decision, SCOTUS noted that the case will now move to the United States Court of Appeals. It appears that the decision was 7-2 among Supreme Court Justices, with Justices Sotomayor and Jackson dissenting. Jackson wrote the dissenting opinion. 

In the meantime, though, Libby may return to representing her constituents with her free speech restored. Why it took several months to determine that an elected official has the right to free speech is another issue entirely.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.