A federal judge on Friday tossed out a pre-emptive lawsuit from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who sought to stave off legal action by New York Attorney General Letitia James over his decision banning transgender women from playing sports at county-owned facilities, James’ office said. The ban still remains in effect, pending further litigation.
“This decision is a tremendous victory for justice and the rule of law, but our work here is not done,” said Alexis Richards, a spokesperson for James. “It’s past time for Nassau County to rescind this [executive] order and treat all our communities with the basic respect and dignity they deserve.”
Blakeman issued an executive order in February that effectively barred trans women and girls from participating in women’s sports teams at county-run facilities. He also forced sports leagues to comply or lose access to fields and facilities. In March, James threatened to sue Blakeman if he didn’t rescind his order.
The county executive responded by filing a suit citing the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to equal protection under the law. He also claimed his ban enforced Title IX, which protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs.
“We vehemently disagree with the decision and will appeal,” Blakeman said in a statement on Friday. He had previously signaled the county would appeal any adverse ruling on his order.
Separately, the nonprofit New York Civil Liberties Union is suing Nassau County over the ban, on behalf of a Long Island roller derby team. The order covers about 100 athletic facilities in the county, according to the group’s lawsuit, which aims to have the ban overturned under the state’s human and civil rights laws. Democrats statewide, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, have slammed Blakeman’s order as divisive and a form of bullying trans children.
Blakeman has been at the forefront of culture-war controversies since taking office in January 2022, when he blocked enforcement of the state’s mask mandate. The following year, he criticized the state’s ban on Native American imagery for school mascots and team names, and frequently appeared on Fox News to defend Daniel Penny, the Marine Corps veteran accused of choking a homeless man to death on the New York City subway.
At a press conference last month, Blakeman responded to James’ threat of litigation on the trans ban by saying that a judge would “make a determination and whatever judge may make that determination … we follow the law here in Nassau.”
This story has been updated with additional information, including comment from Attorney General Letitia James’ office and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.