White House UFC event lawsuit, explained: What to know about activist group's attempt to stop MMA event
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White House UFC event lawsuit, explained: What to know about activist group's attempt to stop MMA event originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Mixed martial arts is set to make an appearance at the White House on Sunday. Not everyone is happy about it.
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The card, headlined by title fights between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje and Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, is set to take place atop the South Lawn.
At least one watchdog organization is attempting to launch a last-gasp effort to postpone the fights. Here's the latest on the Public Integrity Project's efforts to use legal avenues to halt UFC Freedom 250.
MORE: Everything to know about UFC White House card
White House UFC event lawsuit, explained
A filing, submitted in District of Columbia federal court by the Public Integrity Project on Saturday, contends that Trump administration's violated federal law while seeking authorization for the UFC White House event. The suit claims that the Department of Interior and National Park Service unlawfully organized a private sporting event on public property, breaching park service regulations by allowing the event of occur. The plaintiffs also claim that the event organizers failed to obtain congressional approval before constructing the stadium that will house the seven-fight card.
"We think that this is a profound misuse of our sacred national monuments for private gain," said Brendan Ballou, the lead attorney for the Public Integrity Project. "And we think that needs to be stopped because it breaks the law."
According to the filing, the Trump administration also failed to conduct an environmental review "before undertaking 'major federal action' significantly affecting the quality of the human environment." An emergency application for a preliminary injunction to stop the fight was filed early Sunday morning.
In an emailed statement to ESPN, a Trump administration official brushed off the Public Integrity Project's concerns.
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"This is an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit brought simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation's history during our semiquincentennial celebration," the statement read. "This iconic event is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year."
What is the Public Integrity Project?
Founded by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the Public Integrity Project describes itself as an anti-corruption law firm with offices in Washington. The firm aims to "raise the cost of corruption in America" by launching lawsuits against the people, companies and countries "that seek to bribe government officials" as well as the governmental officials "who seek to be bribed."
The firm views itself as a vanguard for anti-corruption. Its aim is to use criminal statutes as predicate for ordinary people to file civil suits against those deemed to have committed corruption.
When is the UFC event at the White House?
UFC Freedom 250 will take on Sunday, June 14. Headlined by a pair of title fights, the card will take place on the White House's South Lawn, with fighters sharing the ring inside of a claw-like stadium. The event will reportedly cost up to $60 million to put on. UFC and its parent company, TKO, vowed to foot the bill for the event. The event will reportedly generate negative profit.
Why is there a UFC event at the White House?
UFC president and CEO Dana White has claimed that the fights are being held to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States. Public Integrity Project's lawsuit alleges that the event will serve as a celebration of the UFC and Trump's 80th birthday, instead. The card will take place on Sunday, coinciding with Trump's birthday.