A federal judge rejected an 11th-hour plea to block this weekend’s UFC event on the White House.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said the two Virginia residents did not have any legal standing because they hadn’t shown the event would harm them.
The event will be held this weekend. Sunday is Flag Day and President Trump’s 80th birthday.
“Plaintiffs fall short of showing they are ‘directly affected’ by Defendants’ actions,” Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote in his 15-page ruling.
This weekend’s event will to be held in a 92-foot-tall, temporary octagon erected on the White House lawn. A press conference and other activities will be held at the nearby Lincoln Memorial.
“The court rightly rejected an untimely and frivolous effort to halt the historic UFC event hosted to honor the 250th anniversary of our Nation,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement. “The White House is thankful for this correct decision and looks forward to hosting this once-in-a-lifetime celebration on the South Lawn.”
A political activist and retired Air Force sergeant, represented by the Public Integrity Project, sued the National Park Service (NPS) and Department of the Interior last weekend seeking to block the event.
They argued the event was “deeply corrupt” and didn’t follow necessary environmental and NPS permitting requirements.
Mehta’s opinion rejected their effort by ruling their regular visits to the National Mall isn’t enough for them to file suit.
The activist said she frequently protests near the Lincoln Memorial, and the sergeant said he’s a ride-share driver who may be near the event this weekend.
“Only a serendipitous rideshare trip would place him in a position to see the Claw on the night of the fights,” Mehta wrote.
The Justice Department countered the plaintiffs’ argument, saying they were too late, had no standing and that the fight was legal because it falls under special permitting exceptions for the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.
