Kentucky's Republican Governor Matt
Bevin on Friday announced that he would join a lawsuit challenging a
directive by the Obama administration advising schools to allow
transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice.
The lawsuit led by Texas was announced
on Wednesday. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said on Thursday that
he would join the lawsuit. Other states participating in the lawsuit
are Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West
Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Maine Governor Paul LePage, a
Republican.
“The federal government has no
authority to dictate local school districts' bathroom and locker room
policies. The Obama Administration’s transgender policy
‘guidelines’ are an absurd federal overreach into a local issue,”
Bevin said in a Facebook post.
Bevin also criticized Democratic
Attorney General Andy Beshear for not joining the suit.
“[U]nfortunately [Beshear] … is
unwilling to protect Kentucky's control over local issues,” Bevin
said. “Therefore, my administration will do so by joining this
lawsuit.”
Beshear denied the claim, saying in a
statement that the governor's comment “was not truthful” and that
his office had not been consulted on the matter.