Judge investigating whether Trump administration lied about golf course renovations
Also reported by Axios
Summary
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said she will investigate whether Justice Department lawyers misled her about President Donald Trump’s plans to renovate East Potomac Golf Course. The inquiry will examine whether late notice about the plans was given in bad faith and whether lawyers failed to correct earlier statements or withheld information.Key Facts
- A lawsuit filed in February by the DC Preservation League and others challenges plans to redevelop the park.
- The National Park Service cut down hundreds of trees before notifying Reyes, who was told 15 hours before work was set to begin.
- Reyes ordered a halt to tree removal and later barred further changes to the course without ten days’ notice while the lawsuit continues.
- Trump has said the course will close in November for 15 months of renovations.
- Government lawyers told Reyes this week the course would close, after previously saying there were no plans to shut it.
- Reyes will conduct the inquiry with a special master, an independent third party appointed to assist in legal matters.
- The administration has said it intends to appeal Reyes’s ruling restricting changes to the course.
