April 16 (UPI) — Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday the Department of Justice is suing Maine, alleging Title IX violations, because the state is challenging a presidential executive order on trans athletes in women’s sports.
Bondi accused Maine of federal sex discrimination for defying the Trump executive order banning transgender students from participating in girls’ and women’s school sports.
“We have exhausted every other remedy,” Bondi said in a press conference Wednesday.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement that the lawsuit is designed to pressure Maine “to ignore the Constitution and abandon the rule of law.”
“This matter has never been about school sports or the protection of women and girls, as has been claimed, it is about states rights and defending the rule of law against a federal government bent on imposing its will, instead of upholding the law,” Mills added.
The lawsuit in Maine federal court accused Maine of “openly and defiantly flouting anti-discrimination law.”
The Justice Departemnt said in the suit it is being filed “to stop Maine’s unapologetic sex-discrimination against female student athletes.”
Mills denies Maine is violating the Title IX civil rights of girls and women as a restraining order granted by a federal judge Friday “reinforces our position that the federal government has acted unlawfully.”
She called the Trump administration actions against Maine politically motivated.
“This is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a president can force compliance with his will, without regard to the rule of law that governs our nation,” Mills said. “I believe he cannot.”
The Trump executive order, which refers to trans women as “men,” said in part that the federal government will cut funding to educational programs that allow trans women to fully participate in women’s sports.
“It is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities,” the order said.
The Biden administration considered banning transgender athletes to be a violation of the Title IX federal law. The Trump administration considers allowing trans athletes to compete violates Title IX.
