WASHINGTON – A federal judge scrutinized President Donald Trump’s plans to renovate a golf course in the capital, on the same day he called her a “crazed lunatic” on social media and said work on the project would begin “IMMEDIATELY!”
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes temporarily halted work on the East Potomac Golf Links after federal officials abruptly tore out 430 trees on Oct. 10. She called witnesses Oct. 19 − Greg Wischer, deputy chief of staff at the Department of the Interior, and Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service − but they said plans for the course hadn’t been finalized, despite Trump’s post.
Trump has argued the judge has no role in managing the golf course because it is part of the executive branch managed by
the Department of the Interior. He told reporters at the White House that the department has the right to renovate the course "absolutely."
“It’s old, its tired, it’s beaten up, it’s useless, it doesn’t do much business. We want to do something great for Washington," Trump said. "We’re going to basically build a better golf course. You can call it a renovation. It should be very simple."
Government asked to remove judge from case but she refused
Government lawyers had asked Reyes to disqualify herself from the case after she described herself as “furious” that the tree removal happened during litigation. Federal officials testified last week the trees were removed under a 2019 plan to return the course to its historical design as a "links" course, with few trees and more water views of the Potomac River.
“In light of Judge Reyes’s actions here and in other high-profile litigation involving the Trump Administration, no reasonable observer could consider Judge Reyes sufficiently impartial to adjudicate this case,” the lawyers wrote.
She declined, noting that she had complimented the government's filings repeatedly.
“Yes, the Court was ‘furious’ and ‘beyond disappointed,’ and said as much,” Reyes wrote on Oct. 18. “But ‘particularly in hard-fought litigation dealing with controversial issues, district judges must sometimes take strong actions and use strong words.’”
Trump leaves another mark on DC with golf course renovation
Renovating the golf course is part of Trump's overhaul of the capital with a number of projects.
The projects include a granite helipad at the White House, a controversial ballroom under construction at the White House, an overhaul of the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial, a proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and long-discussed relocation of the FBI headquarters along Pennsylvania Avenue.
But litigants challenging the golf course renovations include the DC Preservation League, golfers Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, Hains Point Runners, Cherry Blossom Inc. and the William J. Travis Society. Travis designed the original course, which was built in the 1920s.
Park chief called renovations 'conceptual' but Trump seeks to close course Nov. 15 for 15 months
The tree removal came four days after Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, submitted a declaration in the lawsuit saying renovations of the golf course “remain in a conceptual stage.”
Government lawyers said no final decisions were made.
“Here, there is no final agency action,” government lawyers said in an Oct. 16 filing. They added that “the President’s mention of a possible project, in a handful of tweets, demonstrates at most that the President has given preliminary thought to it.”
But Trump said in a social media post Oct. 18 that the Department of the Interior developed a plan with golf course architect Tom Fazio to turn the course into a world championship one. He said work is scheduled to begin Nov. 15 and the course will be closed for 15 months.
“The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect,” Trump said. “It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous, and disease infested trees and, importantly, a collapsing and hazardous seawall.”
A day later he criticized Reyes for blocking the project.
“The judge on the case is a crazed lunatic whose courthouse tapes will reveal, may be insane?” Trump said on social media Oct. 19. “Work is scheduled to begin IMMEDIATELY! The finished product will be World Class, and bring income and great prestige back to D.C.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge scrutinizes Trump's DC golf overhaul as he calls her 'crazed lunatic'
