Maine Gov. Janet Mills had heated words with the President last week in Washington, DC over Trump’s threat to withhold federal funds from states where transgender athletes can play on girls and women’s school sports teams.
Reports Seacoastonline.com:
By the end of the heated exchange, the Democratic governor threatened to sue the president over the issue.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills said.
Speaking to the National Governors Association, Trump singled out Mills while talking about his executive order signed this month banning transgender women from women sports. Trump has put schools and states “on notice” that they could lose federal funding if they don’t follow it.
The Maine Principal’s Association, which oversees high school sports in Maine, has said it won’t comply with Trump’s order because it conflicts with state anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender people.
“Is Maine here? The governor of Maine?” Trump said, before locating Mills seated nearby at a table in the White House State Dining Room. “Are you not going to comply with it?”
Mills replied, “I’m going to comply with state and federal law.”
“We are the federal law,” Trump responded. “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’s somewhat liberal, although I did very well there ‒ your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports.”
Mills then said, “We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court.” …
Following Trump’s comments Thursday, Mills issued statement saying “the state of Maine will not be intimidated by the President’s threats.”
“If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding,” Mills said, “my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides.”
Read the complete Seacoastonline.com story here.
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