The NAACP and a coalition of civil rights organizations are pushing for Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene to cover over $550,000 in legal fees following their failed lawsuit over canceled political events in California.
The dismissed lawsuit, filed by Gaetz and Greene, alleged that nine nonprofit groups—including the NAACP, LULAC, and the League of Women Voters—pressured the cities of Anaheim and Riverside into canceling their rallies in 2021. The case also named the two cities as defendants, accusing them of civil rights violations.
U.S. District Judge Hernán Vera ruled against the suit in two decisions earlier this year, describing the claims as “unprecedented” and a concerning attack on civic engagement. Civil rights organizations called the case frivolous, with California’s LULAC chapter seeking $155,000 in fees and the NAACP requesting $185,000 for discounted legal work provided by the firm Latham & Watkins.
Gaetz, who recently stepped down from his Florida congressional seat amid a failed nomination as U.S. attorney general, and Greene, a current representative from Georgia, have yet to comment on the fee demand.
The groups involved argue that the lawsuit was a weak and baseless attempt to implicate them in the event cancellations. Legal experts suggest this fee dispute could set a precedent in cases of politically charged litigation.
The matter remains before the U.S. District Court in California.
