House Republicans subpoena USA fencing chairman with history of supporting trans competitors in women's sports
'In fencing, personally, I see it quite often,' USA fencer said after she refused to compete against male opponent
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}House Republicans have subpoenaed USA Fencing (USFA) board chair Damien Lehfeldt in an effort to compel him to testify in front of Congress during a hearing examining the participation of transgender women in biologically women's sports.
The subpoena comes after USA Fencing's Chief Executive Officer Phil Andrews told the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, which intends to hold the hearing on May 7, that Lehfeldt would be unavailable to testify for unspecified reasons, according to a letter sent in tandem with the subpoena. Lehfeldt's apparent refusal to cooperate comes after he allegedly made public statements online indicating he had intended to be present at the hearing.
"Under the Ted Stevens Act, an [National Governing Body]—such as USFA—is required to provide equal opportunities to athletes regardless of sex when engaged in developing interest and participation in the sport it governs throughout the United States," the letter accompanying the subpoena stated, signed by GOP House Oversight Chairman James Comer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FEMALE FENCER DEFENDS PROTEST AGAINST TRANSGENDER OPPONENT
"The Subcommittee is concerned that the policies of USFA may not uphold these obligations and that the underlying law is not accomplishing its intended purpose. Therefore, the Subcommittee is investigating whether additional legislation regarding requirements of NGBs of amateur sports, like USFA, is necessary to address these issues."
Lehfeldt and Andrews have both publicly expressed their support for allowing transgender women to compete on biological women's sports teams. House Republicans' decision to subpoena Lehfeldt follows an incident when a female fencer named Stephanie Turner was punished by USA Fencing for refusing to compete against a transgender competitor earlier this year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Turner, during a regional meet in March, refused to compete against a transgender competitor who had previously competed in the men's division. A video of her taking a symbolic knee at the start of the match, eventually earning her a "black card," fencing's most severe penalty, went viral following the incident. Turner was ultimately disqualified from the event and escorted out of the venue immediately following her act of civil disobedience.
"In fencing, personally, I see it quite often," Turner said following the incident. "I have witnessed transgender fencers in women's tournaments and girls' tournaments in different age categories, specifically Y-14 (the youngest age group)."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fencer Stephanie Turner kneels in front of a USA Fencing official (Courtesy of ICONS)
The letter accompanying Lehfeldt's subpoena said the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency requested multiple times that Lehfeldt provide an explanation for why he would not be in attendance to testify during the May 7 hearing. The letter said it exhausted several options to accommodate the USA Fencing board chair, including considering moving the date of the hearing and providing Lehfeldt extra time to obtain legal representation.
USA Fencing's counsel subsequently asked the subcommittee whether it would be open to considering alternative witnesses, to which the committee said it would if they were made available on May 7. However, no reason for Lehfeldt's unwillingness to testify was provided, according to House Republicans.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Several days later USA Fencing indicated Andrews would be willing to participate in Lehfeldt's place, if the hearing could be moved two days later to May 9, according to House Republicans. A day later, they said, Lehfeldt indicated to the subcommittee that he was formally declining to testify.
Sadie Schreiner puts a transgender flag in her hair before heading to the awards stand after finishing 3rd in the finals of the 200m race at the 2024 NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, SC. Sadie, a transgender woman who competes on the Rochester Institute of Technology track team, is in the process of transitioning from a man to a woman. Her success as a sprinter on the women's track team at RIT has thrust her into the fiercest political battle in American sports. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"While counsel for USFA did explain why they believed Mr. Andrews would be better suited to appear on behalf of the organization, their rationale for why Mr. Lehfeldt would not be a helpful witness was unpersuasive," the subpoena letter stated. "To date, neither Mr. Lehfeldt nor anyone speaking on his behalf has provided any legitimate rationale for his refusal to testify."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Mr. Lehfeldt is best positioned to discuss the current, past, and future policies of USFA––especially those policies related to transgender women competing in women’s sports," the letter continued. "Information about the policies, strategic plan, and mission of USFA is necessary to advance the Subcommittee’s oversight and legislative purposes."
In a statement to Fox News Digital USA Fencing's Director of Communications Bryan Wendell confirmed receipt of the House GOP subpoena, adding that they will "of course comply with it."
"Board Chair Damien Lehfeldt looks forward to appearing on May 7 to answer the DOGE Subcommittee’s questions," Wendell concluded. "We will have no further comment until after the hearing."