Riley Gaines warns California, Minnesota about states' failures to comply with Title IX
Riley Gaines put California, Minnesota and other states on notice as Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against Maine for the state’s failure to comply with Title IX.
Gaines was at the press conference where Bondi talked about the lawsuit. The former NCAA star swimmer-turned-champion for fairness in women’s sports received an opportunity to speak.
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"Let this be a notice – California, Minnesota and the likes thereof – if you do not comply with federal law, you do not get to reap the benefits of complying with federal law," she said. "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 U.S. government, 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."
Gaines, who hosts OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast, said the moment between Maine Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump during their spat in February "went viral for all the right reasons."
She made clear that Trump was a "man of his promises and that’s what we’ve seen delivered."
"Promises made, promises kept," she said.
BONDI ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST MAINE FOR REFUSING TO BAN TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS’ SPORTS
Bondi’s lawsuit came as Maine refused to change its trans-inclusion policies when it came to allowing transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports in the state.
Stephanie Turner, who recently drew viral attention to the issue of trans inclusion in women's fencing with a clip of her kneeling in protest of a trans opponent, was also at the press conference.
"The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports," Bondi said at a press conference. "… What they have been through is horrific."
"We want to get states to comply with us," Bondi added.
Bondi said they were seeking an injunction and have titles returned to the girls who "rightfully" won competitions in which trans athletes participated in.
Lawmakers in California have rejected legislation to ban biological males from girls’ and women’s sports. One Democratic state lawmaker compared the ban to practices employed by Nazi Germany in the Holocaust.
Minnesota lawmakers have also failed to ban biological males from girls’ and women’s sports. A lawmaker there said it was akin to "state-sanctioned genocide."
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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