A federal judge ruled against Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby Friday in her lawsuit to have her censure in the state legislature overturned. Libby was censured Feb. 15 for a social media post that identified a transgender athlete who won a girls state pole vault title. 

The judge who made the ruling is Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden just before he left office in January. 

DuBose denied Libby's motion for a preliminary injunction Friday, ruling the process House Speaker Ryan Fecteau used to impose the sanction reflected the will of the majority of Maine House members.

DuBose presided over the case after every district judge in Maine refused to take it.

Judges John C. Nivison, John A. Woodcock, Lance E. Walker, Karen F. Wolf, Stacey D. Neumann and Nancy Torresen signed recusal orders shortly after the case was initially filed. No reason was given.