“Plaintiff Paul Romano is a Vietnam War veteran who is suffering aesthetic, dignitary, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants’ unlawful acts.”
A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration in an attempt to stop a UFC fight set to take place on White House grounds on June 14 in celebration of America's 250th birthday, Freedom 250. The lawsuit was filed by the Public Integrity Project in District of Columbia federal court and seeks to stop the event.
The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of two Virginia residents—Susan Douglas and Paul Romano—claims that the Trump administration's authorization of the UFC fight is unlawful. The lawsuit claims that approval for such activities violates the National Park Service regulations that prohibits sporting events on federal parklands. They claimed that they are suffering "aesthetic" and "procedural harms" in relation to the event.
The Public Integrity Project, which helped bring the lawsuit, is headed by Brendan Ballou, who was on the team of prosecutors under the Biden administration the went after January 6 defendants.
"Plaintiffs are individuals who are being harmed by Defendants’ unlawful acts. Plaintiff Susan Douglas is a senior citizen activist and organizer who is suffering aesthetic, physical, expressive, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants’ unlawful acts. Plaintiff Paul Romano is a Vietnam War veteran who is suffering aesthetic, dignitary, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants’ unlawful acts," the lawsuit said. Romano has posted about a Vietnam Veterans against Trump group previously.
The lawsuit clams the UFC fight is "deeply corrupt" and that Trump is giving his friend Dana White "unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access."
The lawsuit claims that holding the UFC fight is "not in any material sense a 'celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence'—it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth."
It argues that the structure cannot "be erected on the South Lawn without express authorization from Congress and a thorough environmental review." However, the organizers of Freedom 250 event have relied on exemptions that are tied to America's 250th anniversary celebration.
The UFC has not commented on the lawsuit, and the plaintiffs in the case have asked for relief, including that the event be declared unlawful as well as enjoin the Trump administration from hosting the event on the White House lawn.
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