Pam Bondi (00:00):
Good morning. With me here today, I have our great Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, Representative Laurel Libby of the Maine State House, Linnea Saltz of IWF, women's sports advocate, Stephanie Turner, a fencer, Zoe Hutchison, a Maine athlete, Cassidy Carlisle, a Maine athlete, and my dear friend, you all know Riley Gaines, who has been a champion on this issue for women.
(00:37)
Today, the Department of Justice is announcing a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education. The State of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports. Pretty basic stuff. This is a violation of Title IX. The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports. This is about sports. This is also about these young women's personal safety. I've met many of these women throughout the past weeks and months, and what they have been through is horrific.
(01:19)
We have exhausted every other remedy. We tried to get Maine to comply. We don't like standing up here and filing lawsuits. We want to get states to comply with us. That's what this is about. We have repeatedly notified Maine of its infractions and urged them to remedy the situation to protect women. We've stripped grants from Maine through other departments, and we are going to continue to fight for women.
(01:54)
Let me give you some examples. Let me give you a timeline. This timeline, I think, is pretty important. So in February 2024, these are just a few examples, a biological boy started competing in women's ski races and cross-country races in Maine. He came in first in the 5K with a time that would've been 43rd among men.
(02:22)
In February 2025, a biological boy won first place in the pole-vaulting competition in Maine's indoor track and field meet. He beat every other girl by a significant margin. That qualified him for regional championships. That took a spot away from a young woman in women's sports. Shame on him.
(02:50)
February 21st, 2025, President Trump has the governors at the White House. President Trump has the exchange with Janet Mills. He asked her about the issue. Her response, "We'll see you in court." Well, we still didn't sue. HHS and the Department of Ed opened investigations in an attempt to get them to comply. They both found violations. And in March, Maine refused to comply.
(03:26)
I want to read you this letter. This is from the Maine Attorney General to the Department of Education. "We will not sign the resolution agreement. We do not have revisions or a counter-proposal. We agree we are at an impasse. Nothing in Title IX or its implementing regulations prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on girls' and women's sports teams."
(04:10)
Well, they must not be reading the same Title IX that we're reading. We believe they're failing to protect women. And it's not only an issue in sports. It is a public safety issue. These boys are allowed to go in women's restrooms. They are allowed to go in the women's dressing rooms and get fully naked and change, biological boys, and change clothes in front of these young women. Maine's leadership has refused to comply at every turn, so now we have no other choice. We are taking them to court.
(04:56)
What we are seeking, we are seeking an injunction to get them to stop this, stop what they're doing. That's pretty simple. And we are seeking to have the titles returned to the young women who rightfully won these sports. And we are also considering whether to retroactively pull all the funding that they have received for not complying in the past.
(05:28)
And I'm so proud of these brave young women standing behind me. I see lots of parents in the front too, and I've met you. Thank you to the parents for supporting your daughters and telling them it's okay to fight back and stand up for what they believe in. Some of these young women have endured vicious injuries too as a result of boys playing in their sports. It's my honor now to introduce to you our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon.
Linda McMahon (06:03):
Thank you. Good morning, everyone. I don't think our case could have been stated any better than it was just presented by our attorney General Bondi. And I thank you very much for your participation this morning and I will echo Attorney General's comments about how brave these women are, these young women. And of course Riley Gaines has been a staunch advocate for the Title IX infractions since she came on board, and we're so proud to have Riley out there as such a prominent spokesperson.
(06:40)
So today we're announcing a weighty development, the Title IX investigation into the Maine Department of Education. We analyzed. We, the Department of Education, analyzed Maine's education department for compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding. Unfortunately, our investigation is found that Maine continues to willfully violate Title IX and to strip the civil rights of female athletes in the state.
(07:18)
And as Pam alluded as well, it's not just about their civil rights, it's about their safety. And after our investigation, we found we really had no other choice. We thought the infractions warranted turning them over to the just department for their further investigation. So how do we get here? On February 5th, President Trump signed the executive order keeping men out of women's sports, which directed all states and educational programs receiving federal funds to cease the practice of allowing males to compete in sports programs for women. They didn't make this up. This is the law. This is Title IX. This executive order was aimed at protecting women like fencer Stephanie Turner or volleyball player Peyton McNabb from being injured and unfairly outmatched by male athletes.
(08:18)
President Trump didn't pull any punches. He explicitly warned Maine and Governor Janet Mills that Maine would risk losing federal funding if it continued to allow males to participate in women's sports.
(08:32)
Governor Mills chose to openly flout Title IX compliance, telling President Trump, and I'll repeat what the general said. "We'll see you in court." And obviously, we are going to. That same day, our Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the Maine Department of Education and Maine School administrative district number 51 for permitting males in girls sports and denying female-only intimate facilities. The department's investigation confirmed Maine's Title IX violations and we offered Maine leaders multiple opportunities to change their policy and to protect women in sports and they have refused.
(09:13)
So now as DOJ begins their enforcement actions, I hope Governor Mills will recognize that her political feud with the president will deprive the students in her state of much more than the right to fair sporting events. After all, compliance with federal civil rights to law is a universal prerequisite for receiving federal funding. The Trump administration could not be any clearer to all states sports leagues and educational institutions. We take the violations of women's civil rights very seriously. I have three granddaughters and I want to make sure that they are treated fairly and that they aren't exposed in dressing rooms. We want to make sure that if you open women's sports or intimate facilities to males, you expose yourself to federal civil rights investigations.
(10:13)
Governor Mills will definitely get her wish. We thank you all for being here this morning. Look forward to seeing you later.
Pam Bondi (10:24):
Thank you, secretary. I'd now like to introduce to you state Rep Laurel Libby from Maine who has been a champion for these young women in the State of Maine. And thank you, representative.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Thank you, Attorney General Bondi. It's unfortunate that we have to be here today because Governor Mills and legislative Democrats, along with the Maine Principles Association, continue to persist in discriminating against Maine women and girls. They are out of alignment with two-thirds of Mainers who believe that biological males have no place in girls' sports. Earlier this week, MSAD's 70 school Board voted unanimously to align with Title IX. They're in alignment with two-thirds of my fellow Mainers, and I would encourage other school boards throughout Maine. I would exhort you to speak up for Maine girls similarly and vote to align with Title IX. I thank you to the Trump administration and AG Bondi for taking action on behalf of our girls and helping to ensure a safe, fair, and level playing field in Maine.
Pam Bondi (11:37):
Thank you. President Trump, before he was elected, this has been a huge issue for him. Pretty simple. Girls play in girls sports. Boys play in boys sports. Men play in men's sports. Women play in women's sports. And he got to know a great young woman during that time named Riley Gaines. And we are all so proud and honored to have her here with us. Riley has been a champion nationally for this issue. Riley, please join us.
Riley Gains (12:08):
Thank you. Thank you. Well, goodness gracious, it's an honor to be here to stand beside, of course, Secretary McMahon, Attorney General Bondi, these amazingly brave athletes, Representative Libby. But truthfully, I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated that we have to be here, that we as women have to stand before you all on national television demanding equal opportunities, demanding privacy in areas of undressing, demanding safety in our sports. Amazing to me that we are still here fighting this fight, that the Democratic Party has really doubled down, tripled down, quadrupled down on their ridiculous stance, but that's exactly what they've done.
(12:54)
Let me tell you what sports has done in my life. Of course, in terms of athletic achievement, I very proudly finished my career as a 12-time NCAA All-American, a five-time SEC champion, actually the SEC record holder in the 200-hundred butterfly, making me one of the fastest Americans of all time, a two-time Olympic trial qualifier, SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, SEC Community Service Leader of the Year. The list goes on, but again, just to really reiterate, it's a lifelong journey. It's how I met my husband. It's what gave me my lifelong friends. It taught me how to be a leader. It taught me how to set goals and work to achieve those goals. All things that of course I'm utilizing in my life now beyond sports, that leadership in Maine, Governor Mills, democratic leadership, really across the nation, that's what they're denying girls and women of.
(13:48)
I'm sure you guys saw the clips and the visuals that surfaced following President Trump's executive order signing of this EO barring men from participating in women's sports within any educational program that receives federal funding. And it was the most amazing thing to be there. And you have all of these young girls, I'm talking 5, 6, 7, 8 years old. They've got their jerseys, on their sports uniforms, their big bows and their hair that they wear on the soccer field. That visual means more to me than I could possibly put into words. And that is what is at stake here. That is who Governor Mills is fighting, not Donald Trump. It's those little girls.
(14:29)
And I believe that's sick. It's regressive is what it is. They do this under the guise of progress, indicating we are moving in the positive forward direction. No, what Governor Mills is doing, and again, democratic governors across the nation, is deeply regressive and utterly misogynistic. Over the past three years, I've had the opportunity to speak to countless girls in Maine and again across the country, countless parents, coaches who all virtually say the same thing. "Why wouldn't anyone protect my athlete? Why wouldn't anyone protect my daughter? Why wouldn't anyone protect me?"
(15:09)
I've talked to girls who have lost roster spots. Of course, podium finishes. I've talked to girls who have been exploited and simultaneously exposed to naked men in intimate areas of undressing. I've talked to girls who have been severely injured in their sports due to a male player on the opposing team. For crying out loud, we have a female representative from Maine, Laura Libby, you just heard from her. She didn't tell you what happened to her. She lost her ability to vote and to speak on the house floor for defending girls and women for posting about what was happening in Maine. No, this type of oppression didn't happen in Afghanistan. No, this type of censorship didn't happen in England. It happened right here in America under democratic leadership.
(15:54)
Again, this isn't progress. I would describe this as betrayal. Let this be a notice. These actions that we have seen put forward today by the Department of Justice, by the Department of Education to all other states who are not willing to comply with federal law, that federal law being Title IX, which is very clear in how it was originally implemented or at least it should be. We never knew we had to define this word sex until these both elected and unelected bureaucrats started to go through the back door and reinterpret this word to mean what they want it to mean. Originally implemented in 1972, it was only 37 words, very brief. Ultimately, of course, preventing sex-based discrimination.
(16:40)
Let this be a notice. California, Minnesota, the likes thereof. If you do not comply with federal law, you do not get to reap the benefits of complying with federal law. Of course, one of those benefits being receiving federal funds. Women are protected and recognized under federal law. Again, that law being Title IX. The US government under President Trump, including the Department of Justice, including the Department of Education, will not stand by and ignore when the federally protected rights of women and girls are being violated.
(17:17)
Again, that encounter between Governor Mills and President Trump went viral for really all of the right reasons. I think she thought she had this mic drop moment when she said, "I'll see you in court." Guess what? You will because President Trump is a man of his promises, that that was his campaign slogan. That's what we've seen delivered. Promises made, promises kept. This is another one.
(17:41)
People, the American people, girls, women, boys, men, old, young, white, Black, gay, straight, none of those identity factors matter. We want transparency and we want accountability. Again, we voted overwhelmingly in favor of that on November 5th. And accountability is back in the White House. So I stand before you all today and I thank you again. Secretary McMahon, Attorney General Bondi. I thank you on behalf of course myself, but I think more importantly my younger sister of all the women and girls who have dreams like I did when I was young to achieve, to succeed in my sport and beyond. So thank you.
Pam Bondi (18:33):
Riley, thank you. And Zoe would now like to say something. Tell us about your sport too, Zoe.
Zoe Hutchison (18:39):
So I compete in soccer and indoor track and outdoor track. And like was mentioned previously today, I had to watch at the Maine class B State indoor track championship as my close friend and my teammate and other female competitors lost the state championship to a biological male. And this was heartbreaking for me to have to watch. And Riley said that it's betrayal and that's what it is. It is the job of our elected officials to protect our young female athletes and they have failed to do that. We walk into sports expecting to have a level playing field and to walk into the state championship to see a biological male there and to lose to a biological. Male that's betrayal.
(19:27)
And so I am extremely grateful to AG Bondi for standing up for us when our elected officials aren't doing that. And on behalf of the girl athletes in Maine, I just want to say thank you all and I look forward to having a level playing field back after this fight. So thank you.
Pam Bondi (19:51):
And Cassidy wants to say a few words.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
My first experience was when I was 13 years old. I was going to change for gym and I walked into the locker room and there was a biological male there. From that point on, my junior year, I competed in Nordic skiing and lost to a biological male numerous of times. I am fighting this fight for generations to come and the fact that our governor can look the women of our state in the eyes and say, "I'm not going to fight for you," is heartbreaking and it's betrayal, like Riley said. I just want to thank all these women standing behind me and President Trump for fighting for us because even though my own governor isn't fighting for me, I know there are people out there fighting for me.
Pam Bondi (20:40):
Thank you, Cassidy. It takes a lot for these young women to be standing up here saying this too. And again, I'm looking their amazing parents in the front row who have supported them, who I've gotten to know, who are protecting them every step of the way and telling them that they have a voice to stand up for themselves and future generations of young women to come and many athletes. Gates, should we take some questions?
Speaker 7 (21:06):
Yeah, absolutely.
Pam Bondi (21:06):
Questions.
Speaker 7 (21:09):
Mary Margaret DeRoy.
Mary Margaret DeRoy (21:11):
Thank you, Attorney General Bondi. I wanted to ask if there's other states that you're focused on, which ones are next for these types of abuses, including men and women's prisons?
Pam Bondi (21:19):
Well, first we're looking at, for this, we're looking at Minnesota. We're looking at California. We're looking at many, many states, but they're the top two that should be on notice because we've been communicating with them. And just like Maine, we're not going out there. We don't want to be suing people. We want them to comply with the law and that's what we are doing. We have given them opportunity, Maine, an opportunity over and over again. The Department of Education, HHS, they went and sat down with them in person, multiple meetings and got nowhere. So now this is where we are because they refuse to protect young women in their state.
(21:57)
So yes, Minnesota, California, multiple state. As far as prisons, had nothing to do with Title IX. We took away funding from Maine as well. We decided to go a different direction in our grants because we saw one reason they allowed a 6'1", 245 giant man who had violently… No murders, nice. He had violently murdered his parents with a knife and the family dog serving life in prison and he chose to identify as a woman. So guess where he's being housed in a female prison in Maine. So therefore my office, we don't want to give any more money to the Department of Corrections in Maine if that's how they're going to act. We're going a different direction in our funding.
Speaker 7 (22:44):
Sadie with the journal.
Sadie (22:46):
Hi there. So Maine's governor yesterday said there were maybe at most two trans athletes in Maine's schools right now. I just was hoping you could talk a little bit about the amount of federal resources that you're putting into this and why that's worth it given the small impact in Maine.
(23:02)
And I have a second off-topic question too. Given that it has some of the same elements as the fire bombings of Tesla dealerships that you've charged federally and called domestic terrorism, I'm wondering if you would say the arson at Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro's house would also be domestic terrorism and something you would investigate federally. And if not, what constitutes domestic terrorism?
Pam Bondi (23:25):
Okay, so first the on-topic question about the, I haven't heard Janet Mills comment. Governor Mills said it's only a couple trans athletes. Well, I think those are boys who identify as girls wanting to beat girls in girls' sports. Well, if one young woman is in jeopardy, one, that's enough for us to be standing up here. One, no boy will be undressing in a girl's locker room. No boy will be walking in a woman's restroom. And no boy, when we're finished with this will be beating young girls in sports. These young women, many of them have trained, what, since you were in elementary school for your sport. Riley, when did you start swimming?
Riley Gains (24:08):
Four years old.
Pam Bondi (24:09):
Four years old. They have trained their entire lives. Some of them have lost scholarships. They have lost regionals. They have lost state because of boys. I don't care if it's one, I don't care if it's two, I don't care if it's a hundred. It's going to stop and it's going to stop in every single state.
(24:27)
Tesla, you ask about. Yes, Tesla, you ask about. So I spoke to Governor Shapiro, I think you're referring to as governor's mansion. I spoke to him. It is absolutely horrific what happened to him. Cash Patel also spoke to him. We have been praying for Josh for his family. Those photos, it was horrible. I firmly believe they wanted to kill him. The defendant allegedly said he was going to use a hammer if he could have gotten to the governor. I've known the governor many, many years. It is horrible. And yes, we are working with state authorities to do… It's now a pending investigation. Anything we can to help convict the person that did this and keep them behind bars as long as possible.
Speaker 9 (25:12):
David, two questions. One on topic and one off-topic. I'll start with the on topic. Minnesota and California, you mentioned you're looking at them. Are there active investigations into those states? Are there conversations in which state do you expect to be next based on those conversations?
Pam Bondi (25:32):
Both. We have reached out to them. We have sent them letters. We're in the same posture. We were in the beginning here with Maine. So let's see what they do. Let's hope they comply. Again, we don't want to sue anyone. We just want you to comply with federal law and protect girls. But yes, we are fully prepared to sue them and others that we will be looking at as well.
Speaker 9 (25:56):
And then my off-topic, big topic over the past few weeks, Kilmar Abrego Garcia in Maryland. He's in a prison now in El Salvador. He was sent there. You insist the president… Everybody in the administration insists that he's MS 13. It appears that there's not going to be any sort of trial. He's not going to come back. DHS said he would be arrested and re-deported if he comes back. Why not show the American people the evidence that he's MS 13 so they can make an informed decision. And that goes the same with this Henry Josue Santos who was picked up in Virginia, who is now presumably going to be deported as well. Why not show the public the evidence?
Pam Bondi (26:34):
Well, he is an illegal alien who has been living illegally in our country from El Salvador. ICE testified. An immigration judge ruled. He was a member of Ms. 13. An appellate judge ruled he was a member of Ms. 13. Hard stop. He should not be in our country. He was deported. They needed one additional step in paperwork. But now Ms. -13 is characterized as they should be as an FTO, as a foreign terrorist organization. So he is not coming back to our country. President Bukele said he was not sending him back. That's the end of the story. If he wanted to send him back, we would give him a plane ride back. There was no situation ever where he was going to stay in this country. None. None. He would've come back, had one extra step of paperwork and gone back again. But he's from El Salvador, he's in El Salvador, and that's where the president plans on keeping him.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
But the evidence, we're not going to see the evidence.
Pam Bondi (27:40):
We have the transcripts from the court hearings. I'll be glad to give you the court hearings from 2019, what we have. Sure, with the rulings from the judges. Gladly.
Speaker 7 (27:50):
All right, last one. Regan.
Regan Reese (27:52):
Regan Reese, Daily Caller. Madam Attorney General, there is a main school board, MS AD number 70, which voted unanimously on Monday to defy the governor and to comply with Title IX. With the action you're taking today, will it be possible to exempt schools that comply from any future punishment?
Pam Bondi (28:12):
Yes, and I think that was very brave and bold of that school board. We just saw that as well. The question was was one school board in Maine voted to comply. And again, that's all we wanted was compliance. So yes, we will not be going after them looking at them in this lawsuit because they are complying and they're protecting women in women's sports.
Speaker 7 (28:35):
All right, thank you guys.
Pam Bondi (28:39):
Got it? Thank you.
