Maine Rep. Laurel Libby's lawsuit over censure for trans athlete post goes to federal court

Maine authorities typical Laurel Libby's suit implicit her caller censure by the authorities legislature went to national tribunal connected Friday for its archetypal proceeding successful Rhode Island. U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose is presiding implicit the lawsuit and volition contented a ruling successful effect to Libby's petition for a preliminary injunction successful the coming weeks.

DuBose was appointed by erstwhile President Joe Biden successful aboriginal January. 

Libby is suing Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and House of Representatives clerk Robert Hunt aft the Democrat bulk voted to censure her implicit a February societal media station that identified a trans jock who won a authorities rod vault competition. 

The premise of the censure was based connected Libby's station identifying a insignificant by sanction and successful a photo. 

But Libby and her attorney, Patrick Strawbridge, assertion that a censure against her violates her First Amendment rights and disenfranchises her much than 9,000 constituents. On Friday, they argued that the punishment was "extreme" and enters "unprecedented territory" by silencing an elected official.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

Maine Assistant Attorneys General Jonathan Bolton and Kimberly Patwardhan, representing Fecteau and the state, defended the censure, arguing that decisions connected voting, adopting rules, and punishing members are wrong the law authorization of the Maine House.

Libby told Fox News Digital that she feels "optimistic" coming retired of the archetypal hearing. 

"I deliberation that our lawsuit is strong, and whether it is resolved present oregon astatine immoderate measurement successful the future, I consciousness that successful the extremity we volition prevail. I'm optimistic, surely aft today, and hopeful that the tribunal is going to spot the harm that is being done to our constituents," Libby said. 

"What was notable to maine was the AAG's reliance connected the legislature being supra the instrumentality … they are astir wholly relying connected legislative immunity." 

Libby's archetypal societal media station thrust Maine into an ongoing struggle with the national authorities implicit the state's refusal to prohibition trans athletes from women's sports. 

MAINE GIRL INVOLVED IN TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE REVEALS HOW STATE'S POLICIES HURT HER CHILDHOOD AND SPORTS CAREER

The authorities has refused to comply with President Donald Trump's February enforcement bid to prohibition trans athletes from girls and women's sports, prompting immense national pressure. Trump initially vowed to chopped national backing to the authorities if it refused to comply with the bid during a Feb. 20 speech, days aft Libby made her societal media post. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced connected Wednesday a intermission and an ongoing reappraisal of national backing to Maine aft the authorities refused to supply adjacent opportunities to women and girls successful acquisition programs. 

The escaped code radical FIRE filed an amicus little successful enactment of Libby connected Thursday the time earlier the archetypal hearing. 

"If governmental majorities tin enforce draconian sanctions connected governmental minorities, past nary viewpoint is safe. That’s nary mode to uphold America’s robust committedness to escaped and unfastened governmental speech, and that’s wherefore the First Amendment forbids officials from retaliating against dissenting views," FIRE supervising elder lawyer JT Morris told Fox News Digital. 

All of Maine's national judges person recused themselves from the case. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby is sounding the alarm implicit the state's defiance of President Donald Trump's Executive Order demanding an extremity to biologic males competing successful women's sports. (Getty/Maine House of Representatives)

The judges, John C. Nivison, John A. Woodcock, Lance E. Walker, Karen F. Wolf, Stacey D. Neumann and Nancy Torresen, signed recusal orders connected Tuesday, soon aft the lawsuit was initially filed. No crushed was provided for the judges' recusal. The lawsuit has since been referred to the District of Rhode Island.

On March 20, Libby was permitted to talk and contiguous 10 amendments during a ballot of the state's bi-annual budget. One of those amendments was not related to the budget, but was a connection to support trans athletes retired of girls' sports. 

However, erstwhile Libby did talk to contiguous her amendments, aggregate Democrats protested, instigating a statement with Republican representatives. Ultimately, Libby's amendments were not adjacent considered, and Democrats moved to person the amendments indefinitely postponed. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.