Judge says court will investigate government officials in DC golf course case
Summary
A federal judge said she will investigate whether government officials and attorneys misled the court in a dispute over President Donald Trump’s plans to close and renovate East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. The inquiry follows tree-cutting work at the public course and conflicting statements about whether it would close on Nov. 15.Key Facts
- Judge Ana Reyes said she intends to appoint a special master to help investigate possible ethical violations and misrepresentations to the court.
- The DC Preservation League sued in February to stop the Interior Department from closing the historic course and replacing it with a championship-style course.
- The government had agreed to notify the preservation league about efforts to permanently alter the course.
- The government gave notice shortly before a three-day holiday weekend that tree cutting would begin, and workers started the next morning.
- More than 400 trees were cut at the course, prompting further court action.
- Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward told the court on Oct. 19 that there was no plan to close the course on Nov. 15.
- A week later, Trump posted that the course would close on Nov. 15 for renovation and rebuilding.
- Reyes issued a 70-page ruling on Tuesday that said the administration likely violated environmental laws in its plans for the course.
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