If Confirmed, Huntington Beach Councilmember Will Be Required to Pay Attorneys’ Fees
FULLERTON, CA – Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin issued a tentative ruling granting Gina Clayton-Tarvin’s anti-SLAPP motion to strike the defamation complaint filed by Huntington Beach City Councilmember Butch Twining. A hearing on the motion will be held on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM in Department N-17 of the Orange County Superior Court, North Justice Center, 1275 North Berkeley Avenue, Fullerton.
Under California’s anti-SLAPP statute (Code of Civil Procedure, § 425.16), a court can strike a cause of action arising from the exercise of a person’s right of free speech unless the plaintiff can “establish[] that there is a probability [he] will prevail.” Twining sued Clayton-Tarvin when she exposed Twining for marching and chanting “while amongst” white supremacists at the September 10, 2025 Charlie Kirk rally at the Huntington Beach pier. Video of the rally, widely available online, show that Twining was at the rally while white supremacists including Ryan Sanchez and Nick Taurus led numerous chants, including “white lives matter,” “fight, fight, fight,” and “white men fight back.” Taurus and Sanchez even local Republican leaders, including District Attorney Todd Spitzer, chanting “Spitzer sucks,” while Twining was present.
Clayton-Tarvin issued the following statement: “Butch Twining’s attempt to intimidate and silence me is now backfiring with his frivolous lawsuit. The fact is that he was at the rally while amongst known white supremacists and doesn’t like that he was exposed. He should be ashamed of himself for abusing the Court system, and now he knows he can’t use his high-priced LA lawyers to bully his constituents.”
The self-styled MAGA City Councilman, who is retired and was selected in December to serve as Mayor Pro Tem over his council running mate Chad Williams, claimed $25 Million in damages from lost business and political advancement. If the tentative ruling is confirmed, he will be required under the anti-SLAPP statute to pay Clayton-Tarvin’s attorneys’ fees and costs.
Judge Craig Griffin was appointed to the Superior Court in May 2009 by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. A copy of Judge Griffin’s Tentative Ruling is attached and available at: https://www.occourts.org/sites/default/files/oc/default/tentative-rulings/cgriffinrulings.pdf
Clips of the rally introduced into evidence are available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZR-p8nhlPKOA33O594Z589-_G730Klzf
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