Attorney General Pam Bondi announces a lawsuit against Maine for defying President Donald Trump’s transgender athlete ban. A new report exposes glaring bias in media coverage of two illegal immigrants. And, new studies have thrown into doubt everything we thought we knew about ADHD.
It’s Thursday, April 17, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h1>Trump DOJ Sues Maine</h1>
<div id="attachment_908933" style="width: 845px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908933" class="size-large wp-image-908933" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-835x576.jpg" alt="" width="835" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-835x576.jpg 835w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-300x207.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-768x530.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-1536x1060.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Janet-Mills-Stank-Face-2048x1413.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 835px) 100vw, 835px" />(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: After a months-long standoff, the Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit against Maine’s Department of Education over its transgender sports policies.
The suit says that Maine is “openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law” by allowing males to compete in girls&#8217; sports. It says girls are being displaced from podiums, losing opportunities for advancement to regional and national competitions, and missing out on critical visibility for college scholarships and recognition.
In a press conference, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Maine officials, notably Democratic Governor Janet Mills, forced their hand.  “We don’t want to be suing people, we want them to comply with the law, and that’s what we’re doing. We have given [every] opportunity over and over again. The Department of Education, HHS, they went and sat down with them in person, multiple meetings, and got nowhere.”
Minnesota and California have also apparently been put &#8220;on notice,&#8221; and other states are in talks with the federal government to resolve issues with Title IX enforcement.
Governor Mills issued a statement shortly after the suit was announced. She criticized the Trump administration for the “unprecedented campaign to pressure the State of Maine to ignore the Constitution and abandon the rule of law.” Mills also accused the administration of “politically motivated investigations” into Maine that had “predetermined” outcomes.
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<h1>Media Bias In Coverage Of Illegal Immigrants</h1>
<div id="attachment_908935" style="width: 788px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908935" class="size-large wp-image-908935" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-778x576.jpg" alt="" width="778" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-778x576.jpg 778w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-300x222.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-768x569.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-1536x1138.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Media-Bias-Comedic-Graphic-2048x1517.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px" />(Photo by designer491 via Getty Images)</div>
Topline:  A new report exposes glaring bias in the media coverage of two illegal immigrants in Maryland — one deported by the Trump administration and the other convicted of murdering a mother of five.
The study by the Media Research Center found major bias from legacy media outlets. The group found that while the outlets devoted ample coverage to an illegal immigrant deported from Maryland by the Trump administration, they completely ignored the conviction of an illegal immigrant for the brutal rape and murder of a Maryland mother of five.
The MRC report analyzed media bias in the coverage of two people: Maryland mother Rachel Morin, whose illegal immigrant rapist and murderer was just convicted on Monday, and Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to MS-13.
“We have added up about 65 minutes on ABC, CBS and NBC devoted to the guy they call “the Maryland man,’” Tim Graham, Executive Editor and Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center, told Morning Wire. &#8220;He&#8217;s an illegal alien who&#8217;s been living in Maryland for a decade, but he was deported. The Trump administration said this was an error, but they didn&#8217;t really wanna fix it. Compare that to the trial that just went on in Maryland with Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was murdered by an illegal alien… you have 65 minutes on the illegal alien mistakenly deported; you have zero seconds on the Rachel Morin trial.”
Graham argued that the main factor in network news coverage was whether a particular story helped or hurt President Trump. “They didn&#8217;t wanna talk about Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray. [Rachel Morin]. When you have illegal immigrants rape a woman, or in Nungaray&#8217;s case, a 12-year-old girl, and then murder them, you can&#8217;t say, well, we only, you know, we don&#8217;t cover. You&#8217;re not gonna say that it&#8217;s a matter of who is the rapist and the murderer. That somehow turns it into a zero second story.”
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<h1> ADHD Study</h1>
<div id="attachment_908937" style="width: 880px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908937" class="size-large wp-image-908937" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-870x576.jpg" alt="" width="870" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-870x576.jpg 870w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ADHD-2048x1356.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px" />(Photo by Gam1983 via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: New research on ADHD is raising questions about how doctors are diagnosing and treating Americans, particularly children.
For years, scientists have believed that a biomarker – like a specific gene – could lead to a direct diagnosis of ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But research now suggests that’s false, and that ADHD is just a collection of symptoms that can be subjective and arbitrarily diagnosed. Children and adults can temporarily experience these symptoms – they can come and go – and they’re largely associated with your environment.
Additionally, children who were put on ADHD medications – which is some version of amphetamine – were found to only have short-term relief of symptoms. Compared to kids with no intervention at all, there was no difference long-term. Studies have shown that long-term use of such medications is <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2811812">associated</a> with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and arterial disease. It can also stunt growth, which is particularly concerning since so many children are put on these medicines. Kids who took ADHD meds were<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/13/magazine/adhd-medication-treatment-research.html"> found to be shorter</a> than those never on the medications – and they never made up for the growth loss, according to longer-term data. 
Numbers from the CDC show that 7 million kids have been diagnosed with ADHD. Boys are more frequently diagnosed than girls, by almost a 2:1 ratio. In fact, 21% of all 14-year-old boys and 23% of 17-year-old boys have been given an ADHD diagnosis. Additionally, a growing number of adults are on these medications – the largest increase in first-time diagnosis is actually with people 30 to 44 years old.
“Fifteen percent of American youth are now on Adderall or some other ADHD medication,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cpac/reel/DFbGwY3PtMm/?api=1%2F&amp;hl=bg">said</a> during his confirmation hearing. “Even higher percentages are on SSRIs and benzos. We are not just overmedicating our children, we are overmedicating our entire population.”
New <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/13/magazine/adhd-medication-treatment-research.html">research</a> shows that a busier schedule – or times of higher “environmental demand” – can actually alleviate symptoms of ADHD. The New York Times report noted that jobs or college courses that were demanding and interesting helped reduce ADHD symptoms. Other anecdotal evidence found that people who say they experienced ADHD symptoms felt relief when they found a way to channel it in a field they found interesting or excelled at, which tracks with the latest research. Further, addressing general over-reliance on medications for kids, RFK is looking at how our technological habits impact our overall health, as well as physical activity and nutrition.

Janet Mills and Donald Trump

Morning Brief: DOJ Sues Maine Over Trans Policies, Media Runs Cover For Illegals & The ADHD Scam

Immigration

Maine

Media

Media Bias

Morning Wire

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Title IX

Women's sports

WASHINGTON—Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a civil lawsuit against the state of Maine on Wednesday for officials&#8217; refusal to protect girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s spaces and sports per Title IX rules.
A fiery Bondi announced the lawsuit and scolded Maine leaders, noting that the Trump administration tried its best to get Maine to comply before it filed suit.
&#8220;We have no other choice, we are taking them to court,&#8221; Bondi said.
The AG was joined at the presser by Maine state lawmaker Rep. Laurel Libby (R), female fencer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/female-fencer-speaks-out-after-shes-expelled-for-protesting-male-opponent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Turner</a>, female rights advocate Riley Gaines, numerous female athletes from Maine, and others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> announces a civil lawsuit against Maine for refusing to protect women and women’s sports and spaces. <a href="https://t.co/6q0jtXkJwO">pic.twitter.com/6q0jtXkJwO</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912483114351317390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
A copy of the lawsuit, which was obtained by Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan, says the United States is suing Maine over its Department of Education &#8220;openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designed exclusively for girls.&#8221;
The suit is seeking to get Maine to stop its noncompliance with federal law and also seeks to grant females who were passed over by males their appropriate awards.
Bondi also said the department is looking at possibly retroactively pulling funding the state of Maine received for not complying in the past.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
a case of FAFO: <a href="https://t.co/fYRF6El4Kg">pic.twitter.com/fYRF6El4Kg</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912484747726512273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
During the presser, Bondi cited a male athlete taking first place in a state final for girls&#8217; pole vaulting, which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-wins-girls-pole-vault-championship-in-maine-days-after-state-pledged-to-defy-trump-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported by The Daily Wire</a>. &#8220;He beat every female by a significant margin, qualifying him for regional championships. That took a spot away from a young woman,&#8221; Bondi said.
Last year, another male athlete competed in female ski and cross-country races in Maine and finished first in the women&#8217;s 5k. His time would have placed him 43rd if he were competing with fellow males, a DOJ press release said.
Gaines, who spoke at the presser, thanked President Donald Trump for protecting girls and said, &#8220;Accountability is back in the White House.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a>, speaking at DOJ, details all the ways women have been harmed by men in their spaces — and censored for speaking out.
These abuses aren’t happening in Afghanistan or the UK, she says. They’re happening in the USA.
“Accountability is back in the White House.” <a href="https://t.co/CAAlYUj4gc">pic.twitter.com/CAAlYUj4gc</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912487694397059358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
In February, Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills got into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public spat with President Trump</a> when she refused to comply with the president’s order barring males from girls’ sports, <a href="https://x.com/TheMaineWire/status/1904334942999363625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing</a> that she was following state law.
Subsequently, numerous Maine officials and organizations followed Mills&#8217; lead and refused to comply with Title IX, sparking numerous investigations and rule violation findings.
Notably, it was found that the state also placed a convicted male murderer who identifies as female into a female correctional facility.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-trans-athletes-womens-sports-maine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE POLL: Maine Voters Side With Trump On Keeping Men Out Of Women’s Sports</a>

Pam Bondi, Janet Mills

Bondi Unleashes On Maine, Announces New Lawsuit Against State For Violating Title IX

Courts

Department of Justice

Pam Bondi

Riley Gaines

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

By pushing its flagrant extremist agenda to the detriment of its predominantly rural, blue-collar residents, Maine’s Democrat majority reveals a deep-seated disrespect for Maine residents and an ideological misalignment with voter preferences, federal guidelines, and the timeless democratic principles that this country was built upon.
In the name of bolstering the state’s culture of equity, inclusion, and social justice, Maine Democrats have destroyed these virtues by forcing their progressive redefinition and implementation at the expense of Maine voters — a disturbing trend that is plaguing the country at large in a widespread cultural decline.
This is seen most glaringly in the transgender craze that’s possessed Maine’s elected leaders and educational bureaucracy. Countless parents, athletes, coaches, and state legislators have spoken out against Maine’s defiance of federal guidance prohibiting biological men from participating in women’s and girls’ sports. This is more than just anecdotal; <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-trans-athletes-womens-sports-maine__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!3KREuUGLNJperg_9upddiHG3dlNgmGJqVv4ICai4oQ5KUQtyca9uE7x1TOxzGCVTop8i_lBGOJbCbeIGytNsZtE$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent polling found</a> that a majority of Mainers (including the highly coveted independent bloc) believe high school sports should be separated by biological sex.
Maine Governor Janet Mills’ aggressive pushback against President Trump’s “<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!3KREuUGLNJperg_9upddiHG3dlNgmGJqVv4ICai4oQ5KUQtyca9uE7x1TOxzGCVTop8i_lBGOJbCbeIG2fwqsv0$">Keeping</a><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!3KREuUGLNJperg_9upddiHG3dlNgmGJqVv4ICai4oQ5KUQtyca9uE7x1TOxzGCVTop8i_lBGOJbCbeIG2fwqsv0$" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Men Out Of Women’s Sports</a>” executive order wasn’t just a media stunt or political statement: it’s going to have a very real impact on Maine students and teachers if millions of dollars of much-needed federal funding is taken away from them as a result of the governor’s obstinate allegiance to this extremist agenda.
Yet the state’s Democrat majority persists in its radical agenda, insisting that they know better than the very constituents who elected them in the first place. It’s the reason why dozens of Maine school districts regularly withhold information from parents about their children’s gender transition process and the schools’ “gender plans” to help “affirm” students’ new identities. This condescension is both an insult to Maine residents and an astonishing abuse of parental rights — and underscores the contempt that the elected have for their electors.
Lest you think this deep disrespect for the electorate is unique to The Pine Tree State, think again. Across the country, the chattering class has been pushing a radical gender agenda against the will of families, and to the detriment of the country’s most vulnerable students. As part and parcel of this radical agenda, 12 states and the District of Columbia have declared themselves “transgender sanctuary states” to offer protections for youths seeking gender procedures while <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://defendinged.org/investigations/list-of-school-district-transgender-gender-nonconforming-student-policies/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!3KREuUGLNJperg_9upddiHG3dlNgmGJqVv4ICai4oQ5KUQtyca9uE7x1TOxzGCVTop8i_lBGOJbCbeIGIoXlfBg$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 1,200 school districts across both red and blue states</a> have similar parental exclusion policies on the books, impacting more than 12 million children.
This isn’t just an assault on the parent-child relationship; it’s also a weaponization of tax dollars against the very people who pay them in the first place. Parents have a right to know what happens while their children are under the care of school personnel, and willfully concealing students’ information in the name of “inclusion” and “equality” is a clear violation of federal law.
Ultimately, Maine’s Democrat leaders are more focused on pushing their coercive agenda than fighting for what Mainers truly need and want. At best, their agenda is out-of-touch; at worst, it’s tyrannical.
Maine isn’t an ideological test lab where politicians can experiment with the effects of their extremist political philosophy — it’s a state with real people with tangible needs and priorities. It’s time for the state&#8217;s leaders to relinquish the activism and get back to the business that the people of Maine elected them to conduct.
At the end of the day, Mainers — and Americans as a whole — want common-sense policies that respect their values and protect their freedoms. Politicians should listen to voters and be responsive to their needs, rather than pushing an agenda far removed from the demands of their constituents. Let Maine be a warning to other blue states: should you choose to push your radical social justice agenda, be prepared to suffer the consequences.
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Nicole Neily is the President &amp; Founder of Defending Education.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-26-Mar-2025-01-37-PM-9289

Maine’s Transgender Tug-Of-War Will Be Coming To A State Near You

Democrats

Education

Federal Government

Gender

Leftists

Opinion

President Trump

school district

Schools

The Department of Education has referred its investigation into the alleged Title IX violations of Maine to the Department of Justice.
The Education Department announced the referral on Friday, less than two months after President Donald Trump and Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills had a fiery <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-white-house-says-top-staffer-for-maines-gov-had-meltdown-cursed-at-official-over-men-in-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exchange</a> at the White House over males participating in female sports.
“The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so, choosing instead to prioritize an extremist ideological agenda over their students’ safety, privacy, and dignity,” said acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor in a statement.
“The Maine Department of Education will now have to defend its discriminatory practices before a Department administrative law judge and in a federal court against the Justice Department. Governor Mills would have done well to adhere to the wisdom embedded in the old idiom — be careful what you wish for,” continued Trainor. “Now she will see the Trump Administration in court.”
The Education Department plans to move forward with restricting federal taxpayer funds to Maine’s Department of Education, according to the statement.
The Trump administration has investigated Maine for weeks over the state’s policies allowing transgender-identifying athletes to participate in female sports. The administration has said that Maine’s policies violate Title IX rules against gender discrimination.
The Trump administration’s latest move against Maine came after state officials refused to sign a resolution agreement with the federal government.
“Nothing in Title IX or its implementing regulations prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on girls’ and women’s sports teams,” Maine Assistant Attorney General Sarah Forster said in a letter, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-admin-moves-withhold-federal-funds-maine-trans/story?id=120731338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>. “Your letters to date do not cite a single case that so holds. To the contrary, various federal courts have held that Title IX and/or the Equal Protection Clause require schools to allow such participation.”
On Friday evening, a federal judge blocked a spending freeze already initiated on funds to Maine from the Department of Agriculture. U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock Jr. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-blocks-trump-from-freezing-funding-to-maine-over-men-in-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> the injunction, temporarily restoring lost funds to the state.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, known for her centrist record among Republicans, sided with the Trump administration on Friday and urged Mills to change course.
“People who are transgender deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX mandated equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX,” Collins said in a statement. “While I will continue to advocate strongly for federal funding for Maine, I disagree with the state’s position and instead support the original intent behind Title IX.”

Janet Mills

Trump Sics His DOJ On Maine Over Men In Women’s Sports

Department of Education

Executive

Social Issues

U.S.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from pausing federal taxpayer money to Maine.
U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock Jr. on Friday granted a request for an emergency stay from the state, placing the Trump administration’s financial pressure on hold. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had frozen funds to the state over its policies allowing for males to compete in female sports.
“During the pendency of this Temporary Restraining Order, the United States Department of Agriculture and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins must immediately unfreeze and release to the state of Maine any federal funding that they have frozen or failed or refused to pay because of the state of Maine’s alleged failure to comply with the requirements of Title IX,” Woodcock <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.med.67828/gov.uscourts.med.67828.12.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The White House has threatened and cut federal funding to Maine and accused the state of violating Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex and outlines policies against sexual harassment at educational programs that accept federal funding.
The feud between Washington and Augusta has split Maine politicians. Republican Sen. Susan Collins posted a statement on social media on Friday urging the state to revise its policies around transgender-identifying players in female sports.
“The conflict between how the State of Maine and the Administration interpret Title IX needs to be resolved. I agree with the federal government’s position that biological males should not compete in girls and women’s athletics. Policies to the contrary violate the original intent behind Title IX,” Collins said.
“People who are transgender deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX mandated equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX,” she continued. “While I will continue to advocate strongly for federal funding for Maine, I disagree with the state’s position and instead support the original intent behind Title IX.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The conflict between how the State of Maine and the Administration interpret Title IX needs to be resolved. I agree with the federal government’s position that biological males should not compete in girls and women’s athletics. Policies to the contrary violate the original…
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins/status/1910814398295531606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey <a href="https://www.maine.gov/ag/news/article.shtml?id=13170752" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Woodcock’s order “confirms the Trump Administration did not follow the rule of law” in rescinding taxpayer funding to Maine.

Donald Trump

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Freezing Funding To Maine Over Men In Women’s Sports

Trump Administration

USDA

The Justice Department has pulled all nonessential federal funding from Maine&#8217;s Department of Corrections over a trans-identifying man who is being housed in a women&#8217;s prison, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday.
Andrew Balcer, 26, a trans-identifying <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2018-12-04/winthrop-teen-who-killed-parents-dog-to-be-sentenced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> double murderer is currently <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">housed</a> in a women&#8217;s prison in Maine.
&#8220;We pulled all nonessential funding from the Department of Corrections in Maine because they were allowing a man in a women&#8217;s prison,&#8221; Bondi said Tuesday. &#8220;A giant, 6-foot-1, 245-pound guy, who committed a double murder with a knife, stabbed his parents to death and the family dog, and he identified as a woman, so they were letting him be housed in a female prison.&#8221;
&#8220;No longer,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We will pull your funding. We will protect women in prison.&#8221;
Maine&#8217;s Department of Corrections is slated to lose more than $1 million in federal grants.
In February, Bondi sent a letter to Maine officials warning them to stop allowing trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports or face legal action. She sent similar letters to California and Minnesota.
“We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports,” Bondi <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-urges-states-comply-federal-law-keeping-men-out-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time.
Bondi&#8217;s letter came just after President Donald Trump had a tense back and forth with Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, at a White House dinner. Trump warned Mills that her state would lose federal funding if it refused to comply with his executive order protecting women&#8217;s sports.
&#8220;You better do it because you&#8217;re not gonna get any federal funding,&#8221; Trump told Mills. &#8220;Your population doesn&#8217;t want men playing in women&#8217;s sports.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Stunning moment Trump goes back and forth with Maine governor on women&#39;s sports
TRUMP: &quot;You better do it because you&#39;re not gonna get any federal funding &#8230; your population doesn&#39;t want men playing in women&#39;s sports.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/UrqDl65nLx">pic.twitter.com/UrqDl65nLx</a>
&mdash; Mairead Elordi (@JohnsonHildy) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnsonHildy/status/1893026795491864862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Since then, Maine is facing federal action on other fronts over gender ideology as well.
The federal Department of Agriculture froze Maine&#8217;s funds over the state continuing to allow trans-identifying males to play in women&#8217;s sports. Maine&#8217;s attorney general responded by suing the Department of Agriculture over the funding freeze.
Meanwhile, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have <a href="https://mainemorningstar.com/briefs/u-s-justice-department-cuts-maine-corrections-grants-allegedly-over-transgender-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Maine&#8217;s transgender sports policies violate Title IX.
The Education Department has given Maine until April 11 to submit a solution before the situation is referred to the Justice Department.
Also last week, the Education Department launched a new task force targeting the &#8220;staggering&#8221; number of Title IX complaints the administration is receiving. Investigators and Justice Department attorneys will look into potential violations.
Trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s prisons have become increasingly common. One trans-identifying male prisoner in New Jersey who was convicted of manslaughter was only <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nj-trans-prisoner-impregnated-2-inmates-transferred-mens-facility-rcna38947" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transferred</a> out of a women&#8217;s prison after he impregnated two female inmates.

Trump Yanks Funding From Maine’s Corrections Department For Putting Man In Women’s Prison

Prison

Men and women are different. This biological reality was once universally understood. Now, however, radical activists are trying to bully women into believing that merely a public declaration of your gender makes you a woman. Thankfully, we are coming to a tipping point. More and more brave, strong, authentic women are rising to the bizarre challenge of our day.
Women like <a href="https://x.com/i/trending/1907525406108098676" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Turner</a>. At a collegiate fencing competition last weekend, she removed her mask and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-female-fencer-booted-from-tournament-after-refusing-to-compete-against-male-opponent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took a knee</a> before her bout, refusing to compete against a male who had competed on the men’s team just a year earlier. USA Fencing responded by immediately disqualifying and expelling Turner from the tournament. Turner’s decision to stand up and publicly shoulder this fight required immense strength. Strength that her male counterpart didn’t possess, or he’d still be training to succeed is his own division.
It’s the same kind of strength Maine Representative Laurel Libby showed when she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-will-not-be-silenced-democrats-censure-maines-laurel-libby-for-calling-out-trans-sports-policy?row=0&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;title=%E2%80%98I+Will+Not+Be+Silenced%E2%80%99%3A+Democrats+Censure+Maine%E2%80%99s+Laurel+Libby+For+Calling+Out+Trans+Sports+Policy&amp;category=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out</a> against the injustice of a biological male student dominating girls’ pole vault at the Maine State Class B Championship. The student had previously placed fifth in the boys’ division just one year before. Like Turner, Libby’s refusal to go along with the gender activists’ takeover was met with punishment. When she tried to defend herself, the male Democratic Speaker of the House, Ryan Fecteau, cut her microphone and shut down the live feed. Libby stood before the dais with a stoic strength. Strength her male Democratic counterpart didn’t possess, or he’d be able to defend his position on the merits.
Oddly, the same people who silenced Laurel Libby, who disqualified Stephanie Turner, who took a medal from Riley Gaines, and who named MJ Rodriguez “woman of the year,” are the same individuals who scream about feminism. These are the same “feminists” who think my daughters should change their swimsuits beside men at the YMCA.
To the “feminists” who cannot define a woman, anyone can be a woman, so everyone is a woman. Those who don’t nod their head, put pronouns in the email signature, and quietly follow along are bullied like the women above.
Thankfully, Turner and Libby aren’t so easily intimidated. They add their names to a growing list of strong women undeterred by the powerful forces who seek to take their voices away. Each woman who stands up makes a difference, especially for the generation of girls behind them. Though these brave acts may seem small in isolation, together they cannot and will not be ignored.
Turner and Libby are two women at the forefront of a fight that should have never needed to be fought. It’s a sad reality that defending the very concept of womanhood has become a radical act, but it is that radical act by these women who are inspiring others to stand up unapologetically and demand girls’ spaces be returned to them. And parents, we must continue to do our part in our towns, schools, and local sports leagues.
Girls’ spaces should be sacred, and their rights should not be subject to ideological whims. We must ensure that the next generation of girls grow up knowing they deserve a world where they are protected and respected.
While this fight is far from over, these women have set the stage for the movement afoot to take hold. Parents across the country are stepping forward at school board meetings and standing up to the governing boards of local sports leagues. We must continue to harness this momentum to protect our daughters and reaffirm the biological reality that somehow slipped from the cultural collective sense.
* * *
Alleigh Marré is the Executive Director of the American Parents Coalition and a mother of four.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-04-Apr-2025-12-34-PM-9888

Why Protecting Girls’ Spaces Should Never Be Up For Debate

Why Protecting Girls' Spaces Should Never Be Up For Debate

Feminism

gender ideology

Girls

Sports

WASHINGTON—The Department of Education on Monday issued a final warning to Maine over its refusal to comply with Title IX and President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order banning men from women&#8217;s sports and spaces.
The letter is the &#8220;final step&#8221; in the Education Department&#8217;s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigation before OCR turns over its findings to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pam-bondi-fires-warning-shot-at-maine-over-womens-sports-cannot-ignore-federal-law">Department of Justice</a>, the Education Department said in a release.
“The Maine Department of Education’s indifference to its past, current, and future female athletes is astonishing,&#8221; <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-issues-final-warning-letter-maine-title-ix-compliance">said</a> Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. &#8220;By refusing to comply with Title IX, MDOE allows—indeed, encourages—male competitors to threaten the safety of female athletes, wrongfully obtain girls’ hard-earned accolades, and deny females equal opportunity in educational activities to which they are guaranteed under Title IX.&#8221;
“Under prior administrations,&#8221; Trainor added, &#8220;enforcement was an illusory proposition. No more. The Trump-McMahon Education Department is moving quickly to ensure that federal funds no longer support patently illegal practices that harm women and girls.”
The Education Department had provided the Maine Department of Education with a proposed Resolution Agreement on March 19, the department said, an agreement to voluntarily resolve its Title IX violations or face &#8220;imminent enforcement action.&#8221;
However, the Maine Department of Education has not taken any action to protect women and girls, the department said. Unless Maine signs that Resolution Agreement by April 11, the matter will be referred to the Justice Department — and the Maine Department of Education could lose its federal education funding.
In February, Trump challenged Maine Governor Janet Mills (D.) at the White House for her refusal to follow the law on males in girls’ sports. As Trump discussed the NCAA complying with his executive order mandating that men stay out of women’s spaces, the president looked up from the podium and asked, “Is Maine here? The governor of Maine? Are you not going to comply with it?”
“I’ll comply with state and federal law,” Mills responded.
“We are the federal law,” Trump told her. “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 is somewhat liberal — although I did very well there — your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. You better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”
“We’ll see you in court,” the governor can be heard saying.
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump responded. “I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
The Daily Wire reported the next day that Mills’ chief of staff cursed at a Trump official over the same topic and stormed out of the room. Mills’ office denied that Jeremy Kennedy cursed and refused to return more requests for comment.

President Trump Meets With Governors At The White House

Education Department Issues Final Warning To Maine Over Men In Women’s Sports

The Trump administration and DOGE are continuing their efforts to slash federal spending, with major cuts to the Health Department announced Thursday. Trump takes &#8220;presidential action&#8221; against the elite law firms that targeted him. And, voters in Maine overwhelmingly support keeping men out of women’s sports – but the state’s Democratic governor is still defying Trump’s order to do so.
It’s Friday, March 28th, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doges-hhs-overhaul-maine-sports-standoff-3-28-25/id1576594336?i=1000701216271" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>DOGE Cuts HHS</h2>
<div id="attachment_899279" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899279" class="size-large wp-image-899279" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/RFK-locks-in-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The Trump administration and DOGE are continuing their efforts to slash federal spending, with major cuts to the Health Department announced Thursday.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Thursday morning that his department will cut more than 10,000 jobs – more than 20% of HHS’ workforce.
Among others, the Food and Drug Administration will let go of 3,500 employees, though Kennedy said the cuts would not impact inspectors looking at drugs, medical devices, and food. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will lose 1,200 workers, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) 300, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2,400. The overhaul will also eliminate 13 of the department&#8217;s 28 existing divisions and create a new Administration for a Healthy America. According to Kennedy, the cuts will save taxpayer money and force health agencies to become more efficient.
“When I arrived I found that over half of our employees don’t even come to work,” Kennedy said. “As part of President Trump’s DOGE workforce reduction initiative, we’re gonna streamline HHS to make our agency more efficient and effective. … We’re gonna eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments and agencies while preserving their core functions.”
Context: America’s health care system ranks <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/us-health-care-system-ranks-last-overall-among-other-high-income-countries">last</a> in health among 38 developed nations, but spends 2 to 3x more per capita on each patient. HHS funding increased by nearly 40 percent under the Biden administration, as staffing went up almost 20 percent – this week’s cuts will reduce the number of employees to pre-pandemic levels.
These aren’t the only cuts being made to HHS. A day earlier, Kennedy moved to pull nearly <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-government-pulls-back-over-11-billion-funding-state-health-departments-2025-03-26/">$12 billion</a> in COVID funding that had been allocated to state health departments, NGOs, and an assortment of international groups. Those funds were being used for COVID testing, COVID vaccines, etc. According to a DHS spokesman, &#8220;The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago.” Instead, they say, “HHS is prioritizing funding projects that will deliver on President Trump’s mandate to address our chronic disease epidemic.”
According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html">CDC</a>, 6 in 10 Americans suffer from a chronic disease, while 4 in 10 suffer from at least two.
<h2>Trump vs. Law Firms</h2>
<div id="attachment_899281" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899281" class="size-large wp-image-899281" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/tRUMP-SIGNS-eo-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: President Trump is taking action against top law firms that have ties to people who drove investigations and litigation against him.
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order targeting the law firm Jenner &amp; Block. The order is similar to a few others he’s signed in recent weeks – it blocks the firm from entering federal buildings and revokes its attorneys’ security clearances. It also bars federal agencies from contracting with the firm.
“I just think that the law firms have to behave themselves,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/1904244385342214479">said</a>. “We have others that want to make a settlement also having to do with the elections and other things, they&#8217;ve behaved very badly &#8230; our elections are very dishonest. Very corrupt.”
A federal judge blocked one of these Trump orders earlier this month – that order targeted Perkins Coie, the Clinton-tied law firm at the center of the Russian collusion conspiracy in 2016. The judge in that case, Beryl Howell, was appointed by Barack Obama and called Trump’s order “unlawful” and a violation of the First Amendment.
The targeted firms all have deep ties to the Democratic Party and Trump’s top antagonists. In fact, Trump’s latest order singles out Andrew Weissmann. He was a partner at Jenner &amp; Block from 2021 to 2022 – but before that, he was the top deputy of special counsel Robert Mueller and is thought to have been a key player in propagating the “Russiagate” hoax.
These orders don’t appear to be final – Trump has suggested that he will negotiate with the law firms if they come to the table. When asked if his actions amounted to “coercion” by a reporter, Trump responded, “The law firms all wanna make deals. You mean the law firms that we&#8217;re going after that went after me for 4 years ruthlessly, violently, illegally? I mean, are those the law firms you&#8217;re talking about? They&#8217;re not babies. They&#8217;re very sophisticated people.”
One prominent firm in the hot seat – Paul Weiss – has agreed to make several commitments to avoid sanctions, including $40 million worth of pro bono work for causes the White House supports.
<h2>Maine Defies Title IX</h2>
<div id="attachment_899285" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899285" class="size-large wp-image-899285" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Janet-Mills-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Public universities in Maine are backing down from their transgender policies, but Governor Janet Mills (D) is still refusing to comply with Trump’s order on girls’ sports.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house">public spat</a> between President Trump and Governor Mills over an executive order barring men from women’s sports has gone on for more than a month. Mills maintains that the EO does not carry the force of law and has stated flatly that she has no intention of complying with it.
“My issue is about the rule of law, pure and simple,” Mills said in a statement posted to <a href="https://x.com/TheMaineWire/status/1904334942999363625">X</a>. “[The Constitution] doesn’t allow [the president] him to make laws out of whole cloth by tweet or instagram post or press release or executive order.”
Congressional Republicans have been slow to codify Trump’s order on girls&#8217; sports. However, Title IX separates sports based on sex to ensure equal opportunity. Only during the Biden administration did the federal government decide to interpret Title IX through the lens of so-called gender identity. Eight public universities in Maine have already said they will comply with Trump&#8217;s order in response to the Department of Agriculture threatening to withhold federal funding over the issue.
Other departments have also opened investigations into Maine’s transgender policies. For example, Health and Human Services said it found Title IX violations and gave the state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-gives-maine-10-days-to-comply-with-wh-block-males-from-female-sports">ten days</a> to comply with Trump’s order – that letter was sent on March 19.
“The letter stipulated that if there is no voluntary compliance on the part of Maine, it&#8217;s going to be referred to the Justice Department for prosecution,” Steve Robinson, editor-in-chief of The Maine Wire (no relation) told Morning Wire. “I think there&#8217;s a lot of ego and stubbornness here. They&#8217;re not used to being told that they&#8217;re wrong or that they don&#8217;t have the authority to do something.”
New polling from the American Parents Coalition – which was exclusively shared with The Daily Wire – shows that Maine residents side with Trump on this issue &#8212; 63% said school sports participation should be based on biological sex. 60% said they’d support a ballot measure to protect girls’ sports, including 64% of independents.

HHS Headquarters in Washington

Morning Brief: DOGE Cuts HHS, Trump Vs Law Firms, Maine Gov Defies Title IX

Department of Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services

Russiagate

New polling shared exclusively with The Daily Wire shows that a majority of residents in Maine are in favor of protecting girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s sports, falling in line with President Donald Trump on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/surrounded-by-young-female-athletes-donald-trump-bans-men-from-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transgender policy</a>.
<div>
The American Parents Coalition <a href="https://americanparentscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/American-Parents-Coalition-Maine-Survey-Topline.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surveyed</a> around 600 registered Maine voters, 63% of whom said school sports participation should be based on biological sex. Sixty-six percent agreed it&#8217;s &#8220;only fair to restrict women’s sports to biological women.&#8221;
The poll also found that 60% of respondents would support a ballot measure limiting participation in women’s and girls’ sports to biological females, including 64% of independents and 66% of parents with kids under age 18.
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Residents were also asked about gender-related policies in schools, with respondents strongly agreeing that school personnel do not have a right to secretly discuss gender with students.
Seventy-two percent of respondents said schools should be required to notify a student&#8217;s parents before counseling the child about changing their gender identity, and 64% said they don&#8217;t think school administrators and teachers should be permitted to withhold information about a child&#8217;s desire to change genders.
</div>
Maine&#8217;s Democrat Governor Janet Mills got into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public spat with Trump</a> last month when she refused to comply with the president&#8217;s order barring males from girls&#8217; sports, <a href="https://x.com/TheMaineWire/status/1904334942999363625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing</a> that she was following state law.
However, federal Title IX rules separate sports based on sex to ensure equal opportunity. Only recently has the federal government decided to effectively interrupt Title IX through the lens of so-called gender identity, a notion Trump has strongly rejected. 
Moreover, as the poll suggests, Maine residents do not agree with Mills&#8217; position. Even before polling was available, Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby (R), who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-will-not-be-silenced-democrats-censure-maines-laurel-libby-for-calling-out-trans-sports-policy">censured</a> for calling attention to Maine&#8217;s transgender sports policy, said residents want to protect girls&#8217; sports.
“They know, just like I knew that evening, that it is inherently unfair,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It is unfair for biological males with their physiologic advantages to be participating in girls’ sports and to be replacing girls, to be taking their place. They know that Maine girls don&#8217;t have a fair and level playing field and that that is absolutely wrong.”
The Daily Wire also spoke to investigative reporter and Editor-in-Chief of The Maine Wire, Steven Robinson, who echoed Libby.
&#8220;I would say all the activism has been in favor of Representative Laurel Libby — in favor of keeping boys out of girls&#8217; sports,&#8221; Robinson told The Daily Wire on Wednesday. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think you&#8217;ve seen any counter demonstrations. It really seems like the national attitude of basically <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyt-polling-shows-americans-overwhelmingly-support-gop-position-on-numerous-trans-issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80-20</a>, 90-10 is reflected here, even if Maine is a blue state.&#8221; 
American Parents Coalition Executive Director Alleigh Marré said their polling &#8220;affirms what we all know to be true.&#8221;
&#8220;Governor Mills and Maine Democrats are acting on political motivations, not what’s best for or desired by a majority of Mainers,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Allowing biological males to compete with girls robs female athletes of the opportunity to compete and win on a level playing field. While Mainers overwhelmingly support this fact, their out-of-touch leadership does not.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-gives-maine-10-days-to-comply-with-wh-block-males-from-female-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Admin Gives Maine 10 Days To Comply With WH, Block Males From Female Sports</a>

EXCLUSIVE POLL: Maine Voters Side With Trump On Keeping Men Out Of Women’s Sports

Poll

It has become painfully clear that Maine Governor Janet Mills’ defiance of President Trump’s Title IX executive order — which aims to keep biological males out of women’s sports — was not a momentary lapse in judgement. The now infamous “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see you in court</a>” exchange with Trump was less a conclusion and more a signal flare. 
One might think that a public showdown with the president and the threat of losing federal funding, combined with <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_b6537968-dff2-11ef-b274-9fbf7250bf7f.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> showing 80% of Americans don’t want transgender men competing in women’s sports, would prompt a moment of reflection. But not in Maine. State leaders have treated it as an invitation to take their descent into madness a step further. 
In their latest insult to young girls in Maine and sanity everywhere, Maine’s Democratic Party chose Quinn Gormley, a transgender activist with disturbing ties to allegations involving minors, to lead the Maine House of Representatives in prayer. Gormley, formerly with the Maine Transgender Network, stepped down after a committee member <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2023/06/board-member-of-lgbtq-nonprofit-resigns-after-complaining-about-racism-minors-crossing-sexual-boundaries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> the group of “hosting youth programs where minors engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior.”
The legislators who handed the House prayer to this scandal-plagued activist are of course the same people who <a href="https://x.com/laurel_libby/status/1894554966221521388" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted to censure</a> Rep. Laurel Libby on February 25. According to the House members, Libby committed the heinous crime of calling out the injustice of a biological male student dominating the girls’ pole vault event at the Maine State Class B Championship.  
Only a year before entering the girls’ division, John – now “Katie” – placed fifth in the boys’ competition. Instead of confronting this obvious lack of fairness, Maine’s leaders went after the person courageous enough to acknowledge reality and stand up for her constituents. 
When Rep. Libby attempted to defend herself from being censured, she was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-will-not-be-silenced-democrats-censure-maines-laurel-libby-for-calling-out-trans-sports-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly interrupted</a>, her microphone was cut, and the live feed was shut down. She wasn’t even allowed to finish her remarks before being stripped of her right to speak or vote on the House floor. The only way for her to regain her voice, the Democrat leadership decreed, was if she issued a full apology. As if tramping on Title IX women’s rights weren’t enough, the male-led legislature of Maine stripped the rights of the a duly elected representative bringing attention to this injustice in our state. Maine’s Democrat leadership has made it clear they have no intention of honoring the will of Americans and protecting women. They silenced Rep. Libby and her constituents for defending women’s sports, and continue to double down on that decision, now elevating a radical transgender ideologue – one with child abuse allegations in tow – to play pretend Chaplain in the statehouse. 
Anyone objecting to these extreme actions is likely to face the same silencing and stonewalling inflicted on Representative Libby. Less than 48 hours after the Democrat majority’s attempt to cancel the Representative, Maine House Speaker Fecteau deleted his X account. The Speaker refuses to face the justified outrage even from his own constituents.
If their views were defensible, they should defend them. But perhaps they realize just how heinous their own actions have been. It is likely that history will not reflect well on the liberal men of Maine who felt it their duty to censor an elected woman defending all women. 
Maine Democrats have chosen woke radicalism over the safety of women and girls. They’ve made a decision, again and again, to sacrifice resources for education in the state to defend an increasingly indefensible stance. Maine’s Democratic leaders are actively dragging our state in a dangerous direction – one where reality is ignored, fairness is discarded, and the rights of women and girls are secondary considerations, easily compromised for the sake of an ideological agenda. 
As of March 17, the Department of Health and Human Services has given Maine officials <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-giving-maine-10-035900040.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHJtLviNM_Pa98ZPiJJa1Xj2O9s8McVi9vXKXoeNyieuBVzj7ZSvVotzAmpCKJInKd8LZcKv2mLpbJXCoz2fjHBtUrSWKHbIc8Fh2k1O0all2_lz2oPpLNxjQjzL8gVQL8cYMyVClmswXH27WgedNbwOFb2efhqRwSbDbLdEEu7P" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten days</a> to address the Title IX violations, bar trans athletes from girls’ sports, and return nearly $190,000 in federal funding received in the current fiscal year. 
Will the same leadership that elevated a transgender activist to lead the House prayer while punishing Rep. Libby for daring to speak truth about biological realities change course? Expecting them to suddenly prioritize protecting young girls now seems like wishful thinking.
We’ll await their decision. But until then, insanity reigns in Maine.
* * *
Tracy Quint is serving her third term in the Maine House of Representatives. She serves on the Taxation Committee, where she fights to lower the tax burden on Maine citizens, currently the 4th highest in the nation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Maine Has Checked Its Sanity At The Door

President Donald Trump is demanding an apology from Maine Gov. Janet Mills after the University of Maine System (UMaine) acceded to Trump’s demands to bar biological males from competing in female sports.
The president has feuded with Maine’s Democratic governor for weeks over whether trans-identifying students should be allowed to compete against women and girls in female sports leagues. The president has threatened to withhold federal funding from the state until it agrees to protect the integrity of female sports.
UMaine, which includes eight public universities across the state, backed down this week and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-universities-cave-wont-allow-trans-identifying-men-to-compete-in-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed</a> to reform its rules on trans-identifying players competing against female athletes. Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Saturday that Mills should apologize for attempting to fight the federal government over the issue.
“While the State of Maine has apologized for their Governor’s strong, but totally incorrect, statement about men playing in women’s sports while at the White House House Governor’s Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114205890583765400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “Therefore, we need a full throated apology from the Governor herself, and a statement that she will never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again, before this case can be settled.”
“I’m sure she will be able to do that quite easily. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” the president added.
Under pressure from the Trump administration that the university system was in violation of Title IX, UMaine agreed to “protect equal opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports,” the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a statement this week. The department had paused funding going to UMaine amid the row over female sports.
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy expressed relief over the fight with the administration being resolved.
“The University of Maine System has always maintained its compliance with state and federal laws and with NCAA rules, which the U.S. The Department of Agriculture also affirmed in a press release today,” Malloy said.
“We are relieved to put the Department’s Title IX compliance review behind us so the land-grant University of Maine and our statewide partners can continue to leverage USDA and other essential federal funds to strengthen and grow our natural resource economy and dependent rural communities through world-class education, research, and extension,” he added.

Trump Demands ‘Full Throated Apology’ From Maine Gov After State Caves On Women’s Sports Fight

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