Judge Appoints Special Master to Probe Trump Administration Conduct
Judge Ana C. Reyes appointed former U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu to investigate whether government lawyers misled the court regarding renovations to the East Potomac Golf Links.
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes appointed former U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu as a special master to investigate potential ethical misconduct by lawyers from the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior. The probe focuses on whether government attorneys misled the court regarding President Donald Trump's plans to transform the East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-level course despite judicial orders blocking the project.
Judge Reyes stated she lost confidence that the Justice Department operated in good faith, specifically questioning the testimony of official Stanley Woodward Jr. and Interior Department official Gregory Wischer. Her skepticism grew after the administration removed over 400 trees from the park with less than a day's notice to the court. Reyes noted a contradiction between Trump's public claims that construction would begin immediately and the assurances provided by government officials in court.
The investigation is a separate development within a broader lawsuit filed by a nonprofit and two residents who argue the renovation violates environmental requirements and congressional preservation laws. The Interior Department has criticized the ruling, labeling Judge Reyes a "far Left activist judge." The administration intends to shutter the current course on November 15, while plaintiffs continue to seek a temporary block on the renovations.
