A California event center reportedly canceled an "America First" rally after learning GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia were featured speakers.
"We just want to stay clear of that," Javad Mirtavoosi, general manager of Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., told the Orange County Register on Friday.
Mirtavoosi said when the center booked the event they only expected a "gathering."
"As soon as we found out who the speakers were, we immediately canceled it," he told the OCR.
Gaetz and Greene have been co-hosting America First rallies in Arizona and Florida, drawing crowds since early May.
While both staunchly support former President Donald Trump and many of his policies, they have faced individual controversies of their own.
Gaetz has been embroiled in a underage sex scandal while Greene was booted from her House committees in February over her comments supporting extremists.
Gaetz has denied the allegations against him, while Greene has apologized on multiple occasions for her controversial rhetoric.
Both also were linked to plans to create an "America First" caucus that would promote "a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions" and advocate for infrastructure with esthetic value that "befits the progeny of European architecture." Plans were dropped after negative public and GOP pushback.
"We just want to stay clear of that," Mirtavoosi told the OCR.
According to the news outlet, Mirtavoosi declined to say if he or the center had political differences with the speakers, or whether they’d gotten phone calls about the event.
"We just thought it would be best for our facility to cancel," he said.
Gaetz and Greene have continued to sell tickets to the event while they search for a new venue, Greene campaign spokesman Nick Dyer told the news outlet.
"We're very close to securing a location that will proudly host our America First Rally with Congresswoman Greene and Congressman Gaetz," Dyer told the ORC.
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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