All six Maine federal judges are recusing themselves from Republican State Representative Laurel Libby’s lawsuit against House Speaker Ryan Fecteau.
A statement from the federal court says the judges are doing so because an employee of Maine is involved in controversy stemming from the case.
“The Judges of the District of Maine independently concluded that they are compelled by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges to recuse themselves because an employee of the District of Maine is involved in or directly impacted by the controversy underlying this litigation.” said Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker in the statement.
Libby claims Fecteau violated her First and 14th Amendment rights when the House censured her and banned her from speaking or voting on the House floor. House members voted to censure her along party lines after she identified a transgender student athlete by name and with a picture online.
Libby, who represents Minot and part of Auburn, would be given the ability to vote and speak on the floor again if she were to apologize, which she has continued to say she won’t do.
The case will remain in the District of Maine but has been specially assigned to judges in the District of Rhode Island, according to Judge Walker’s statement.
Walker said the court typically does not comment on its orders, including orders of recusal, but did so in this case because of the unique circumstances.