SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and his wife Michelle Rhee were served subpoenas to testify at a hearing in the infamous pie-throwing case.

The two were served at Sacramento International Airport at midnight Thursday, as they were disembarking from a flight back from Hawaii.

“As I understand it the subpoenas were served in front of a giant crowd of witnesses so it would be very hard for Mr. Johnson or Ms. Rhee to claim that they weren’t served,” attorney Claire White said.

Claire White subpoenaed the pair. She’s the attorney for Sean Thompson, the pie-thrower seen in snapshots last summer, hitting Johnson in the face with a coconut-cream pie, before the mayor hit him back.

Now Claire will have Johnson answer questions under oath. Besides Johnson about the pie-throwing incident, Claire says she plans on unpacking Johnson’s past, and old allegations of financial and sexual misconduct.

“Is this criminal case a proxy battle against Kevin Johnson as a politician,” CBS13 reporter Steve Large asked.

“I think that’s a fair question,” White answered. “This is a political case; my client is a civil disobedient, he has never claimed otherwise.”

Defense attorney Mark Reichel says a judge could limit questions to Johnson not directly related to the pie-throwing attack.

“The judge will try to be what’s called the gatekeeper, and prevent too much evidence from coming in and too much drama from coming into the courtroom that doesn’t have to do with the central issue,” Reichel said.

A passenger on Johnson’s flight tipped off Sean Thompson’s investigator to his location.

The hearing is set for Aug. 18.