Attorney General Pam Bondi has issued warnings to officials in California, Maine, and Minnesota, insisting that they must prohibit transgender students from participating in women’s sports to avoid legal repercussions.
In a statement, Bondi emphasized, “This Department of Justice is committed to supporting women and will not tolerate state officials who disregard federal law. We will utilize all legal means necessary to ensure state adherence to federal law and President Trump’s executive order.”
Bondi’s Firm Stance
These warnings come in the wake of President Trump’s recent executive order that bars transgender individuals from competing in women’s sports. The Education Department has also made it clear to educational institutions that Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination based on biological sex, will be enforced.
Following this, the Education Department has initiated investigations into transgender sports policies in several states, including California, Maine, and Minnesota, all of which have laws or policies recognizing gender identity. The inquiry into Maine’s policy was launched after a public disagreement between President Trump and Governor Janet Mills regarding the state’s policy at a governors’ meeting at the White House.
Bondi asserted in a letter to Governor Mills, “When federal and state laws conflict, states and state entities must adhere to federal laws. This is not about dictatorship but about upholding the Constitution, which mandates state compliance with federal laws, the supreme laws of the land.” Similar language was used in the letters to the other states, all of which conveyed the message that legal action would be pursued if compliance was not met.
Threats of Legal Action
The civil rights investigation by the Education Department is a pivotal step that could lead to the withdrawal of federal funding. Additionally, the departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) have launched their own investigations into institutions in Maine. However, proving a civil rights violation and cutting off federal funding to a school or education agency are challenging tasks that have not been carried out in decades.
Bondi also directed threats of legal action towards key figures such as California Interscholastic Federation Executive Director Ron Nocetti, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Erich Martens, the executive director of the Minnesota State High School League.
In a letter to Nocetti, Bondi stated, “If the Department of Education’s investigation reveals that the Federation is denying girls equal opportunities in sports by forcing them to compete against boys, the Department of Justice is prepared to take appropriate action to enforce federal law.”
