Federal Judge Issues Ruling On Attempt To Block White House UFC Event
By Danielle
A federal judge on Friday denied a request by two Virginia residents to block this weekend’s UFC event on the White House South Lawn.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said the two individuals had no standing because they provided no evidence of how the event would harm them.
The Hill shared further:
It removes a potential last-minute roadblock to this weekend’s event, set to be held in a 92-foot-tall, temporary octagon erected on the White House lawn, with a press conference and other activities happening 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 it. They argued the event was “deeply corrupt” and didn’t follow necessary environmental and NPS permitting requirements.
Mehta’s opinion doesn’t address those arguments. Instead, he 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 end up near the event this weekend.