Judge Ana Reyes Launches Formal Inquiry Into DOJ's Golf Course Claims

The cost of the seawall repairs at East Potomac Park stands between $150 million and $400 million, according to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. That figure emerged during a four-hour hearing on Friday in Washington, D.C., where District Judge Ana Reyes initiated a formal inquiry into potential misconduct by Justice Department officials. Reyes opened the session by citing D.C. Bar Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3, which prohibits lawyers from knowingly making or failing to correct false statements to the court.

The dispute centers on a lawsuit filed by local historic preservation advocates and golfers in February. For months, government attorneys representing the Interior Department and the National Park Service told the court that no final plan existed to transform the municipal golf course into a championship venue. On Wednesday, government lawyers admitted in a filing that a plan exists. They stated the National Park Service would submit a design by Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission on Friday. The agency also confirmed it would close the park south of Buckeye Drive by November 15.

Reyes questioned whether officials had been truthful when they claimed earlier this week that they were unaware of the closure Trump announced on social media. Woodward told the judge that the submission to the planning commission had been in preparation for several weeks. Reyes noted that this timeline was not mentioned in previous hearings, including a seven-hour session. She asked if officials had been making misrepresentations while litigation continued. The hearing concluded with Reyes announcing the formal inquiry into whether agency and Justice Department attorneys violated ethical rules.

The judge stated that a special master with full investigatory powers may lead the investigation. If the government rejects that option, Reyes will conduct the inquiry herself. She clarified that opening an investigation does not mean the court has found evidence of violations. The administration has appealed Reyes' order halting tree clearing and major renovations at the park. The government cut down hundreds of trees earlier this month with less than a day's notice. Reyes described the tree clearing as a pretext for beginning work without proper approvals.

The closure extends beyond the golf course, removing public access to a three-mile perimeter loop used by runners and cyclists. Jessica Bowron, the acting director of the National Park Service, stated in a declaration that the century-old seawalls have been compromised. She said large sections of the adjacent sidewalk are underwater twice daily and that voids have formed in the nearby grassy areas. Woodward said the primary safety concern is people falling into the Potomac River. He declined to provide details on the overall cost of the golf course renovations.

Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter to appropriations leaders on Thursday. He asked them to block the administration from using federal money for the seawall project to advance golf course renovations. Huffman proposed language for year-end spending legislation to prevent federal funds from redesigning the golf courses, altering roads, or removing healthy trees. He argued that taxpayers should not pay for the most expensive maintenance needs only to have the land converted into a course for the president and his associates.

Congress designated East Potomac as a public park in 1897. The new lease agreement between the National Park Service and the National Links Trust requires the nonprofit to cease operations at East Potomac by November 15. The organization will continue operating D.C.'s other two municipal golf courses under a 50-year lease. Reyes ordered the government to preserve all relevant documents to ensure evidence is not lost during the inquiry.