Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz Get $150,000 From California Cities

Two California cities have settled a lawsuit with Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene after allegedly wrongfully canceling their 2021 rallies.

The two members of Congress won a lawsuit against Anaheim, Riverside and the Riverside Convention Center’s operator and will be paid $50,000 by each party, totaling $150,000. The lawsuit was filed in July of 2023.

“We are pleased to announce that we’ve reached a settlement with the cities of Riverside and Anaheim, California, and the Raincross Hospitality Management Corp,” Gaetz and Taylor Greene told Newsweek. “In 2021, we both had our First Amendment rights trampled when left-wing city council members conspired to cancel our planned fundraiser and rally in California. Needless to say, we didn’t take this sitting down, so we sued, and we’ve now won, bigly. Thank you for all your support and prayers!”

Phil Pitchford, the public information officer for Riverside, told Newsweek that his city is committed to the First Amendment.

“The cities of Riverside and Anaheim are committed to upholding the First Amendment rights of all people and groups, regardless of views expressed or of any political affiliation, and welcome all individuals or organizations seeking to hold an event or rally in Riverside or Anaheim,” Pitchford said.

Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia’s 14^th congressional district, posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that the “victory for free speech against tyrannical government officials inspires all Americans.”

“I want to thank @mattgaetz for standing beside me in this battle against the radical left,” Taylor Greene posted. “Fighting for your values is a fight worth fighting. Don’t back down. Don’t give up. You can win. You WILL win.”

The two members of Congress had scheduled a rally at the city-owned Riverside Convention Center, which was later canceled after the convention’s operator Raincross Hospitality Management Corporation backed out of the contract. Plans had also fallen through to hold a rally at the Grand Theater in Anaheim.

Gaetz, who is from Florida, and Taylor Greene ended up holding a “Free Speech Peaceful Protest” of their own outside of Riverside City Hall. Over 100 people attended, and counter-protesters held signs with phrases like “No Hate in Our State.”

“The American people should never tolerate their taxpayer-funded cities and elected officials silencing their free speech, taking away their rights to protest, or their ability to gather to share their views,” Gaetz and Taylor Greene told Newsweek. “It’s our hope that our win in this lawsuit encourages the great people of California and patriots all over the country, and inspires everyone to never give up the fight to protect free speech.”

Greene also praised former President Donald Trump at the rally, saying that the “press and the lying fake news media harassed him and smeared him to make America hate him.”

A federal judge had rejected the cities’ attempts to dismiss the case earlier this year. Judge Hernan D. Vera also ruled that political advocacy groups that were sued in the case originally were to be dismissed.

Those groups included Hispanic civil rights group California LULAC, AntiRacist Riverside, the NAACP, League of Women Voters Riverside, Occupy Democrats, Riverside County Democratic Party and Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Greene posted at the time that she and Gaetz would win and then “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!”

America First Action was founded in 2017 as an affiliated super PAC of America First Policies. The group is meant to “forge an America where opportunities are boundless – a first place America where we ALL win.” The super PAC spent over $40 million in August and September 2020 on advertising to support Trump’s re-election campaign in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

There is also an America First Policy Institute, which is a right-leaning think tank working to “advance policies” that are in line with conservative ideals. POLITICO and The New York Times have reported that the group has become Trump’s “primary partner” for his campaign this time around.

“We look forward to a victory for President Trump on November 5 and promise we will return to California and hold that rally as planned!” Gaetz and Taylor Greene told Newsweek.