Judge Directs Federal Government to Release Funds Withheld from Maine Due to Transgender Athlete Policies
The federal government has been mandated to release funds that were previously withheld due to the state’s policy allowing transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports.
In his 70-page ruling, Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. directed the Department of Agriculture and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, to “immediately unfreeze” any funds that were withheld because the state opted not to adhere to the president’s executive directive.
Furthermore, agencies are prohibited from withholding future funding on the same grounds.
In the meantime, the court has chosen to sidestep the broader debate surrounding transgender athletes.
“In addressing the state’s request, the court does not engage with the merits of the ongoing controversy regarding transgender athletes, which serves as the backdrop for the conflict between the state and federal defendants,” Judge Woodcock noted in his ruling.
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Judge Woodcock elaborated that the ruling stemmed from the Department of Agriculture’s failure to adhere to established protocols when it came to withholding funds.
“In fact, the federal defendants did not argue in this case that the relevant federal laws and regulations concerning the termination of federal funding for state programs were inapplicable here, nor did they assert compliance with the applicable laws before the events leading to this litigation,” he stated.
The Trump administration contended that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and claimed that Maine did not establish any “irreparable harm.”
Heated tensions surfaced during a February meeting with governors at the White House when Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills engaged in a contentious exchange regarding this issue.
Following Maine’s decision to permit transgender athletes in women’s sports, Rollins notified Mills on April 2 that the Agriculture Department was “freezing Maine’s federal funds for specific administrative and technological functions in schools,” as per the court ruling.
State officials celebrated the court’s ruling, asserting that it would safeguard nutritional programs intended for at-risk populations.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for a response.
