California event center drops plans to host Gaetz, Greene’s ‘America First’ tour

A California event center has dropped plans to host GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) for an event on their “America First” tour after finding out the lawmakers were the speakers. 

Javad Mirtavoosi, general manager of Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center, told The Orange County Register on Friday that when the July 17 event was first booked, the center expected it to be a “gathering.” 

“As soon as we found out who the speakers were we immediately canceled it,” Mirtavoosi told the local news outlet. 

Mirtavoosi declined to say whether the event was canceled because of political differences with the House lawmakers. Instead, he said, “We just thought it would be best for our facility to cancel.”

“We just want to stay clear of that,” he added, according to the Register. 

Flyers promoting the event began circulating on social media this week, including the name of the event center in Laguna Hills, located about 45 miles south of Los Angeles. 

Greene campaign spokesman Nick Dyer told the Register, “We’re very close to securing a location that will proudly host our America First Rally with Congresswoman Greene and Congressman Gaetz.” 

The Hill has reached out to representatives for Greene and Gaetz for comment. 

Gaetz and Greene held their first tour event in Florida in May, followed by events in states across the country to mobilize support from “the 74 million Americans that voted for President Trump in the last election,” according to an April press release announcing the tour. 

The staunch Trump allies also marketed the tour as a way to “highlight the destructive failings of the radical left and their puppet in the White House, Joe Biden.” 

The two lawmakers have found themselves at the centers of controversies in recent months, including for their efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election, citing Trump’s unsupported claims of widespread fraud. 

Greene was also stripped of her committee assignments earlier this year after past social media posts and statements were uncovered in which she expressed support for conspiracy theories as well as using violence against Democratic leaders. 

Gaetz is also in the midst of a federal investigation into possible sex crimes, including sex trafficking of a minor. His associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to six crimes in connection with the case. 

Greenberg had reportedly told investigators in April that both he and Gaetz had given multiple women gifts and money in exchange for sex. 

However, Gaetz has repeatedly denied the allegations.