DOJ Urges Judge to Dismiss Last-Minute Lawsuit Blocking UFC Event at White House
The Department of Justice filed a brief urging a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by two Virginia residents and the activist group Public Integrity Project seeking to block the UFC Freedom 250 event scheduled for Sunday on the White House South Lawn. The lawsuit alleges the event violates National Park Service regulations and is a burden to taxpayers, while the DOJ argues NPS regulations permit the event and that the plaintiffs waited until the eve of the event to file. The case highlights a dispute over the use of federal property for a major sporting event coinciding with President Trump's 80th birthday.
The Trump administration's Department of Justice filed a brief Tuesday evening opposing a last-minute lawsuit filed by two Virginia residents backed by the activist group Public Integrity Project, which seeks to block the UFC Freedom 250 event scheduled for Sunday on the White House South Lawn. The lawsuit challenges the event's compliance with National Park Service regulations and claims it burdens taxpayers, while the DOJ contends that NPS regulations do not prohibit the UFC activities and criticizes the plaintiffs for filing suit only days before the event, which was announced nearly a year ago. The DOJ brief emphasizes the substantial resources already expended, including millions of dollars, extensive labor, travel accommodations, and months of training by 14 fighters, arguing that blocking the event at this stage would cause disproportionate harm. The event is scheduled to feature a seven-fight lineup in a specially constructed 4,500-seat venue called "the Claw" on the South Lawn, with additional viewing on the Ellipse and television broadcast on Paramount+. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, has been assigned to the case, with plaintiffs required to respond by Wednesday evening and potential oral arguments scheduled for Thursday.
What's missing
The specific regulatory violations alleged by the Public Integrity Project in their lawsuit are not detailed in the article, limiting understanding of the substantive legal claims beyond the DOJ's characterization of them as lacking merit.
What different sources said
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- AP NewsCenter
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- Al JazeeraLeft
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- HuffPostLeft
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- The AtlanticLeft
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- WiredLeft
Donald Trump Is Ready for Fight Night. So Are Donors
- FortuneCenter
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- ForbesCenter
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- BloombergCenter
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- PoliticoLeft
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- BreitbartFar Right
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- VarietyCenter
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- AxiosCenter
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- The Straits TimesCenter
Jane Fonda to host First Amendment celebration opposite Trump’s UFC event
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