A Republican state lawmaker has been censured for posting about a transgender high school athlete on her legislative Facebook page, sparking anger from MAGA supporters.

The Maine House of Representatives, which has a Democratic majority, voted 75-70 Tuesday night to censure Laurel Libby, of Auburn, over a post that included photos and personal details about the athlete after she won a girls’ pole vaulting event.

Newsweek has contacted Libby for comment via email.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump and his administration have pushed for state and local leaders to comply with an executive order he signed earlier this month intended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.

The order gives federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX as interpreted by the Trump administration, which defines “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth. On Friday, Trump sparred with Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, at the White House over the order, with Mills telling him that she would see him in court.

Later on Friday, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced it was launching an investigation into Maine’s Department of Education over an alleged breach of Title IX.

What To Know

Following the vote, Libby refused to submit an apology to the Legislature. She is stripped of her speaking and voting privileges until she does, according to the Maine Morning Star.

Libby wrote on X that Democrats censured her “for speaking out against their failure to protect Maine girls and keep biological males out of girls’ sports.”

Other Trump-supporting Republicans and conservatives took to social media to blast the censure.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said the move was “not normal” and that Democrats “hate democracy,” while Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and conservative activist who has advocated for banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, wrote that “censuring a woman for defending women is insane work.”

Democrats have criticized Libby’s post, with House Majority Leader Matt Moonen, who proposed the censure, saying that “recognizing the gravity of these harmful actions should not be a partisan issue.”

According to the Star, he noted the Maine Legislature’s code of ethics states that members are “charged with civility and responsible conduct inside and outside of the State House” and “entrusted with the security, safety, health, prosperity, respect and general well-being of those the legislature serves.”

Ryan Fecteau, the speaker of the Maine House, wrote on Facebook that “there is a time and place for policy debates” and “that time and place will never be a social media post attacking a Maine student.”

Some Republicans also expressed disapproval of Libby’s actions.

State Representative David Boyer said while Libby’s actions were “reprehensible,” he voted against the censure because he has “significant concerns about regulating members’ social media conduct in this manner.”

What People Are Saying

Representative Laurel Libby wrote on X: “Let me be clear: I will not be silenced and I will not allow the voices of Maine girls to be silenced.”

In another post, she added: “Our girls deserve so much better than the ‘leadership’ that @GovJanetMills and the Maine Democrat Majority are currently offering. I will not be bullied into rejecting basic common sense: biological males have *no place* in girls’ sports. Period.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote on X: “This is not normal. Today’s Democrats hate democracy.”

Riley Gaines wrote on X: “The whole state of Maine is run by Marxist democrats. Censuring a woman for defending women is insane work. Keep on speaking, @laurel_libby.”

The conservative Libs of TikTok account wrote on X: “Maine Democrats just censured Rep. Laurel Libby and stripped her of voting rights in the Maine House because she defended women and girls. INSANE.”

House Majority Leader Matt Moonen said, according to the Bangor Daily News:“[Libby] has irreparably broken the trust that has been placed in her as an elected official serving in this House of Representatives. This institution and all of Maine deserve better.”

Speaker Ryan Fecteau wrote on Facebook: “Sharing images of kids online without their consent is a clear violation of the bond of trust and respect between citizens and their Legislators. There is a time and place for policy debates. That time and place will never be a social media post attacking a Maine student. Maine kids, and all Maine people, deserve better.”

State Representative David Boyer, a Republican, wrote on Facebook: “Tonight I voted against a legislative censure of Rep. Laurel Libby. My colleague made an error in judgement by posting images of a minor to push a policy agenda. This was reprehensible. We should be able to advocate policy without making kids political footballs. I agree there is a conversation to be had and I support the underlying policy of keeping sports to biological genders. That being said, I voted No on the censure as these historically, have been regulated to conduct on the House Floor.”

What’s Next

The censure means Libby is not permitted to speak or vote on the House floor unless she apologizes. She has stated she has no intention of doing so.