A lawsuit from Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene against Anaheim and Riverside, accusing the cities of wrongfully canceling their rallies in 2021, can move forward, a federal judge has ruled.
The ruling rejects the cities’ attempts to be dismissed from the case. It does allow political advocacy groups that were also sued to be dismissed.
Judge Hernan D. Vera, in his ruling released March 22, rejected the lawsuit’s claim that the nonprofits conspired with the cities to cancel the rallies and wrote that “the effect of Plaintiffs’ unprecedented and stunningly deficient pleading — hauling nine civil rights groups into federal court for speaking out against an event — should shock in equal measure civic members from across the political spectrum.”
Those groups included California LULAC, a Hispanic civil rights group, AntiRacist Riverside, the NAACP, League of Women Voters Riverside, Occupy Democrats, Riverside County Democratic Party and Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Gaetz and Greene, both Republic members of Congress, applauded the ruling, promising to return to California to hold the rallies.
“We will win these important Free Speech cases against California cities Riverside and Anaheim and the insane left,” Greene wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Then we will return to CA and hold America First rallies, inviting everyone in California that hates what the Democrats have done to their state and our country!”
A spokesperson for the city of Riverside said the city does not comment on pending litigation.
Mike Lyster, a spokesperson for Anaheim, said, “While we disagree with the decision, it isn’t unusual to see a claim move forward at this early stage, regardless of the court’s initial thoughts on the strengths of the case. We sought to challenge the allegations being made at the first chance possible and remain confident in the city’s position.”
The two filed the lawsuit last July.
Gaetz and Greene, who are known for their far-right views and championing of former President Donald Trump, had first scheduled a rally at a Laguna Hills venue in July 2021, which was called off when the venue’s general manager learned more about Gaetz and Greene.
The lawmakers then booked the city-owned Riverside Convention Center, but the center, which is managed by a private company, eventually backed out of hosting the duo following outrage from the community and some city leaders.
Plans for Gaetz and Greene to hold their rally at The Grand Theater in Anaheim also fell through and a brief, impromptu “free speech” rally was held July 17, 2021 outside Riverside City Hall.
Mentioned in the ruling is an Anaheim code enforcement officer who allegedly told The Grand Theater owners that their venue’s conditional use permit would be “in jeopardy” if the event occurred.
John Eastman, a former Chapman University law dean who devised ways for President Donald Trump to remain in office after losing the 2020 election, is listed as a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
Vera found that the lawsuit has sufficient elements to make a claim against the cities.
Staff Writer Jeff Horseman contributed to this report.