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“See you in court.” Well, it's been almost two months since Gov. Janet Mills made her viral remark to President Donald Trump at the White House, and that is indeed where Maine has ended up.
On Friday, Maine officials said they would not comply with the Trump administration's demands to prohibit trans girls from participating on girls' sports teams, a policy the administration argues is in violation of Title IX. The state disagrees, and claims it is following its human rights code. Federal funding is on the line, and the U.S. Education Department has now referred the issue to the Justice Department for enforcement.
That same day, in another front in the same fight, a federal judge temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture from freezing funds to Maine schools. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey took a strong stance in filing the lawsuit against the USDA earlier in the week, saying “this action is necessary to remind the President that Maine will not be bullied into violating the law.”
It's one of eleven lawsuits Maine is party to that challenge Trump's policies — on everything from requiring proof of citizenship to vote to cutting billions in research grants. We've compiled a list of the legal challenges below, and will continue to update it as cases make their way through the courts and more are added to the fray.
Also on deck this week: lots of legislative updates. On opioid settlement spending, dam policy, habitat protections, veterans' homes and more.
— Stephanie |
