Lawsuit attempts to stop UFC fight at White House on Trump's birthday

Washington — A national suit filed Saturday seeks to unopen down the Ultimate Fighting Championship combat nighttime connected the White House's South Lawn connected President Trump's birthday. 

The lawsuit, filed by the Public Integrity Project connected behalf of a governmental activistic and an Air Force veteran, calls the plans astir the June 14 lawsuit "deeply corrupt" and argues that it seeks to enrich the president and his allies. 

It besides argues that the Trump administration's support of the lawsuit connected nationalist parklands violates national law, the operation of the venue, which includes a monolithic arch, connected the South Lawn lacks legislature authorization and did not spell done an biology review. 

"The president is giving  [UFC main enforcement Dana] White and his institution what nary person enjoyed before: unfettered entree to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to signifier a private, for-profit sports event, with each the promotional and branding opportunities that travel specified access," the suit says. 

The weekend's events are acceptable to footwear disconnected Friday nighttime astatine the Lincoln Memorial. 

The suit contends that those who basal to payment financially from the lawsuit see the president, who has investments successful UFC's genitor company, White, and the company's broadcast spouse Paramount SkyDance, which is the genitor institution of CBS News, and its advertisers. Paramount declined to comment. 

The UFC has said that the lawsuit is portion of the celebrations to people the country's 250th anniversary. But the suit notes the day of the combat nighttime falls connected Mr. Trump's 80th birthday, astir 3 weeks earlier July 4. 

"The lawsuit is neither 'for the solemnisation of the 250th day of American Independence' nor, crucially, being 'planned, organized, and executed' by the national government," the suit says. 

It aboriginal adds, "Rather, UFC Freedom 250 is being held for the fiscal payment of the UFC, Paramount, and their advertisers, and to observe the 80th day of Donald Trump's birth." 

An medication authoritative called the suit "an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory" effort to forestall Mr. Trump from "from hosting what volition undoubtedly spell down arsenic 1 of the astir historical sporting events successful our nation's past during our semiquincentennial celebration." 

"This iconic lawsuit is nary antithetic than the assorted different White House-hosted events connected the South Lawn and decently permitted events connected the Ellipse and National Mall passim the year," the authoritative said. 

UFC did not respond to CBS News' petition for comment. 

Emma Nicholson contributed to this report.