Amanda McGonigle, the creator of the popular satirical Instagram account @CatsOnACouch, has filed a lawsuit against Vice-President JD Vance and the US Secret Service, alleging she was barred from attending a public event in Bangor, Maine, in May 2026 because of her online criticism of Vance.
Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the US District Court in Maine by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maine on behalf of McGonigle, claims her First Amendment rights were violated. According to court documents, McGonigle registered for the event where Vance was to discuss the Trump administration's efforts to combat healthcare fraud, alongside Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. After waiting in line, she was identified by name by armed Secret Service officers, denied entry, and told: “We know where you stand.”
McGonigle's Statement
“It’s absurd that the Secret Service is wasting their time tracking a satirical cat account on social media,” McGonigle said in a statement. “The government can’t exclude me from official vice-presidential events just because I mock people in power on the internet.” She added: “The Trump administration has routinely retaliated against people exercising their First Amendment rights, and this is just the latest example. But the First Amendment protects our right to criticize the government, and it’s well within my rights to say that I think JD Vance is an unlikeable idiot.”
Previous Exclusion
The complaint notes that this was not the first time McGonigle was excluded from a Vance event. In early May, she registered for an event in Des Moines, Iowa, but did not receive a confirmation email, while other registrants did.
ACLU's Position
Laura Moraff, a staff attorney with the ACLU, said, “Ms McGonigle’s satirical social media content is purr-tected speech.” Anahita Sotoohi, an ACLU of Maine staff attorney, added: “Ms McGonigle uses her platform to criticize and satirize elected officials, using humor to garner support for causes important to her and inform her followers about political developments. The First Amendment cannot be revoked just because one of the country’s most powerful people can’t take a joke.”
Background of @CatsOnACouch
McGonigle, a Massachusetts resident, launched @CatsOnACouch in 2024 after Vance referred to prominent Democrats as “childless cat ladies.” She said the account’s goal is to “have more followers than JD Vance by the time he leaves office and to troll him mercilessly every single day.” The account currently has nearly two million followers.
