Maine Republican Says ‘Extreme’ Trans Athlete Policy Will Cost State Millions

A Maine Republican says that her state’s transgender athlete policy is so “extreme” that it will cost the state millions in federal funding.

Maine Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby is blasting Democrat Governor Janet Mills for refusing to obey President Donald Trump’s Title IX rules banning transgender athletes in girl’s sports or risk a loss of federal education funding.

Maine’s Principals’ Association maintains that its state rules take precedence over the new rules written by Donald Trump’s administration, and the state’s schools will continue to allow transgender athletes to compete in girl’s and women’s sports, Fox News reported.

The school organization says that it has the “sole authority” to decide the state’s transgender policies. The MRA adds that “no medical records or official documents shall be requested for required to establish a student’s gender identity.”

But Rep. Libby says the state’s policy is too extreme.

“That is the policy that Governor Mills is defending against President Trump,” Libby told Fox News. “It is so extreme. It is an outlier even among other states that have similar policies. And it’s an extreme position that Mainers don’t support.”

Libby added, “Not only is she supporting this extreme policy, her stance could cost the state $250 million for Maine’s schools and that is money that we need to provide education for Maine kids. It’s a two-for as far as how this hits our state. And it seems like she’s pretty dug in, and President Trump is gonna have to take this all the way through the courts.”

The policy, Libby said, is “incredibly broad.”

For her part, Gov. Mills has claimed that she is standing up for the “rule of law” and that presidents do not have the authority to withhold federal funding from the states.

Mills said that Trump has “targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it — and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.”

Trump has already warned Mills that she must comply with federal rules or risk losing the state’s federal funding.

During the White House Governors Working Session last Friday, Trump discussed his trans athlete policy and engaged in a brief exchange with Mills.

Mills chirped, saying she follows state and federal law, but Trump reminded her he is the federal law.

“Well, we are the federal law,” Trump told her. “Well, you better do it. You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”

“And by the way, your population, even though it’s somewhat liberal — although I did very well there — your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports,” Trump added.

Mills said she would see Trump in court, and he declared he looked forward to it.

“That should be a really easy one, and enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” the president said.

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