Judge Ana Reyes Launches Formal Probe Into DOJ Misconduct in East Potomac Park Dispute
The federal judge ordered an investigation after government attorneys admitted to finalizing a golf course renovation plan while telling the court no such plan existed.
By Aiko Nakamura ·
Federal District Judge Ana Reyes ordered a formal inquiry on Friday to determine whether Justice Department officials made false statements to the court regarding the transformation of East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The probe will examine whether agency lawyers knowingly misrepresented the status of a plan to convert the municipal golf course into a championship-level venue.
Reyes launched the investigation days after government attorneys filed a written admission on Wednesday. The filing confirmed that the National Park Service intends to close the park and much of the surrounding area in mid-November. Until that admission, DOJ representatives had maintained in court for months that no final plan existed, despite President Trump’s social media posts announcing the closure.
The legal conflict intensified earlier this month when the administration cut down hundreds of trees with less than a day’s notice. Reyes called the tree-clearing a pretext for starting work without proper approvals. On Monday, she extended her ban on further tree removal and required the government to provide 10 days’ written notice before closing or irreversibly modifying the park. The government quickly appealed that order.
During Friday’s four-hour hearing, Reyes questioned Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. about the timeline of the renovation plans. Woodward stated that the government submitted renovation designs to the National Capital Planning Commission that same Friday. He argued that the submission had been in the works for several weeks. Reyes countered that no one from the government had mentioned this process in previous hearings, including a seven-hour session last week.
Woodward told the judge that he had not read every transcript in the case. “We have lots of binders,” he said. Reyes replied, “I bet you do.” The judge also challenged Woodward on whether Trump’s social media posts constituted official plans. Woodward argued the posts were similar to executive orders directing agencies to take action but did not guarantee the action would occur.
Reyes announced that the inquiry may be led by a special master with full investigatory powers. If the government rejects a special master, Reyes will conduct the inquiry herself. She noted that opening an investigation does not mean the court has found evidence of misconduct. However, the move indicates the judge is no longer taking the administration at its word.
The administration cites a crumbling seawall as a safety hazard requiring immediate closure. Acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron stated in a declaration that large sections of the sidewalk are underwater twice daily. Woodward estimated the seawall repairs would cost between $150 million and $400 million. On Thursday, Rep. Jared Huffman sent a letter to appropriations leaders asking them to block federal funding for the seawall project to prevent the golf course renovation.
