Judge denies Rep. Zooey Zephyr's attempt to return to Montana House

[GMDino]

This story has been going on for a while.

She spoke out against an anti-trans bill.

Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr spent her first day of exile in the hallway on a bench and still was harassed for being in that space.
This is where we are at in this country, this is an elected official. pic.twitter.com/yKvWeiBXAz

— ?_Imposter ? (@Imposter_Edits) April 28, 2023

 




https://www.axios.com/2023/05/02/zooey-zephyr-montana-judge-ruling

Quote:Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D), the state's only transgender lawmaker, cannot return to the state House floor, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Driving the news: District Court Judge Mike Menahan wrote in a five-page ruling that the court's power is limited and granting Zephyr's request to return "would require this court to interfere with legislative authority in a manner that exceeds this court’s authority."

• The state's attorneys had asked the judge to reject Zephyr’s efforts to return, per AP.
  
  

Why it matters: This effectively rules Zephyr out for the rest of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end on May 5.

Catch up quick: Zephyr filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the GOP-led House's decision last week to censure her.

• Zephyr was barred from the House floor and gallery last week for the remainder of the 90-day legislative session – the end of which is scheduled for Friday.
• The move came following protests broke out in the House after she was silenced for saying fellow lawmakers would have "blood on their hands" if they supported a bill banning gender-affirming care.
  
  

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Zephyr's girlfriend, who is a transgender journalist, was the target of a "swatting" attempt, according to the couple.

• "Those who hate trans people are doing everything in their power to silence & harm us," Zephyr said in a tweet about the incident. "But we will not be deterred."
• "Swatting" is the act of placing a fake emergency call to 911, who often dispatch SWAT teams to potentially violent situations.
  

Go deeper: What we know about Montana House silencing first transgender lawmaker

[url=https://www.axios.com/2023/04/26/montana-transgender-lawmaker][/url]

And they not only silenced her they banned her and then someone called their mom to sit on the bench she was using outside the chamber.

One of them appears to be the Speaker of the House’s mother.

— Tom Winter (@WinterForMT) May 2, 2023

 


Because nothing says "freedom" and "democracy" like targeting an elected member who would actually be affected by the bill when they speak out against it.

[*Nately120*]

I guess being a state rep counts as a sport now?

[Dill]

I'll be back in MT in a month visiting mostly Republican relatives and friends.

I can't wait to hear what they have to say about this.

Especially disgusting if the Speaker's mother deliberately took Zooey's seat
as political harassment.

[CJD]

The Montana House Republicans were big mad that she burned them so badly.

"If you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there's an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands" is, legitimately, the best burn you can say to a majority "Christian" group of people.