A federal judge rejected an 11th-hour plea to block this weekendâs 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 hadnât shown the event would harm them.
The event will be held this weekend. Sunday is Flag Day and President Trumpâs 80th birthday.
âPlaintiffs fall short of showing they are âdirectly affectedâ by Defendantsâ actions,â Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote in his 15-page ruling.
This weekendâs 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.
âThe court rightly rejected an untimely and frivolous effort to halt the historic UFC event hosted to honor the 250th anniversary of our Nation,â White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement. âThe White House is thankful for this correct decision and looks forward to hosting this once-in-a-lifetime celebration on the South Lawn.â
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 âdeeply corruptâ and didnât follow necessary environmental and NPS permitting requirements.
Mehtaâs opinion rejected their effort by ruling their regular visits to the National Mall isnât enough for them to file suit.
The activist said she frequently protests near the Lincoln Memorial, and the sergeant said heâs a ride-share driver who may be near the event this weekend.
âOnly a serendipitous rideshare trip would place him in a position to see the Claw on the night of the fights,â Mehta wrote.
The Justice Department countered the plaintiffsâ 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 Americaâs 250th anniversary.

LoL, another fail from the demo whiners