The controversy surrounding Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) censure continued on the House floor on Wednesday when House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) denied her the right to speak into the record on behalf of her constituents, who were for two months deprived of their voice when she could not vote.
[RELATED: SCOTUS Restores Rep. Laurel Libby’s Right to Vote, Enjoins Maine Dems’ Censure of Her…]
“There is no bill before us, thus I will not be participating in debate, I simply want to be heard on the record,” said Rep. Libby.
Libby was censured by Speaker Fecteau after she posted a publicly available picture of a transgender-identifying male high school athlete standing victorious over girls in a female track competition in order to criticize Maine’s policy that allows males into girls’ sports, locker rooms, and restrooms.
As a result of the censure, Libby was unable to either speak on bills on the House floor or cast a vote. Following a lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) mandated that she be allowed to vote, but her ability to speak on bills has not yet been restored.
She argued on Wednesday that the censure only prevents her from debating bills on the floor, not from speaking when no bill is under consideration. When she requested the right to speak, Fecteau denied her and entered the House into a recess.
“The Speaker of the House put us at ease and left the chamber, so we are currently waiting for the Speaker, who is assumedly probably calling an attorney to find out how to keep me quiet,” said Libby.
Libby intended to speak so that she could have her votes entered into the record on behalf of her constituents for those roll calls taken while she was deprived of her vote.
The House debated Libby’s right to speak, though her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
“I rise with a concern that we are objecting to a member of this body having the opportunity to speak on the record. Mr. Speaker, it’s nearly a daily occurrence that this occurs, if this is going to be the practice going forward, I will object to any member on the other side that wants to speak on the record,” said Rep. Randall Greenwood (R-Wales) speaking in favor of Libby.
Libby posted an update on her situation on Thursday, saying that she was briefly allowed to speak after the recess but was then quickly silenced by the Democratic majority after Rep. Matt Moonen (D-Portland) intervened.
Libby intends to return to the question next week and hopes to have her vote retroactively entered into the record so that her 9,000 constituents are not deprived of their votes.
“Following completion of our work, I was initially recognized, but quickly silenced once more by the Democrat majority, and not allowed to speak on behalf of the good people of North Auburn and Minot. Rep. Matt Moonen moved to adjourn our session rather than allow me to speak on the floor… once again silenced by men who are afraid to let a woman speak,” said Libby.
Libby has repeatedly suggested that sexism was a motivating factor in her censure, despite the fact that legislators of both sexes have voted for and against removing her censure, and that the stated reason for her censure was her refusal to apologize for her Facebook post rather than her being a woman.
