Trump apologists 'lose their minds' after judge demands info on surprise golf construction
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Donald Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey on July 28, 2022 (Image: Shutterstock)
Apologists of President Donald Trump were losing their minds overnight after Justice Department lawyers were found to have misled the court by a presiding judge.
Politico's Kyle Cheney noted that Judge Ana C. Reyes, in the U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia, told the DOJ to be on hand at an 8 a.m. hearing and wanted a written response from them at 7:30 a.m. in a case around "major redevelopment" of Washington, D.C. golf courses that Trump seized.
The National Links Trust was cast aside after Trump's administration seized control of the three public golf courses in Washington D.C. in December. Trump officially killed the 50-year lease between the National Park Service and the nonprofit Trust, which oversees Langston Golf Course, Rock Creek Park Golf and East Potomac Golf Links.
To legally break the contract, the government had to identify violations; however, the Interior Department’s Solicitor’s Office skipped that step. Instead, it issued a notice of default at the end of October. The Interior Department issued a letter on Tuesday, severing the contract.
The trust said in a statement that they are “fundamentally in disagreement with the administration’s characterization” and “devastated” by the decision. It had been working on a large-scale renovation project for Rock Creek Park, which has now been suspended.
The case has been in litigation ever since.
“The future of the courses — when there will be renovations, how much it will cost to golf on them, who will have access — is all now in limbo,” NOTUS reported in February. The golf nonprofit issued its own statement strongly contesting Trump’s claims.
Despite the litigation, there are allegations that Trump has continued construction projects on the land. Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that the National Park Service would begin landscaping and clearing trees at the East Potomac Golf Links. Meanwhile, Trump would begin a complete redesign.
Lawyer and Trump nemesis, Norm Eisen, filed an emergency action asking the court to block all of Trump's work at the East Potomac golf course
"That reporting is corroborated by a fundraising brochure in which a nonprofit foundation, established for the purpose of leading the 'comprehensive redevelopment' of East Potomac, is soliciting contributions that 'will be used' pursuant to a 'binding agreement' toward that redevelopment," said the court filing on Sunday. "Artistic renderings of the new 'championship' golf course show it will replace the entire footprint of East Potomac Park, including Hains Point and the Golf Course's historic design. If continued unchecked, that plan (and its implementation) will destroy a National Register historic district..."
The Trump administration filed a document on Monday morning, adjusting the details of what would unfold on Monday, stating that there are no plans to overhaul the golf course.
Instead, they were set to survey which trees might need to be removed from the area. Trump has removed several trees from the White House grounds since the beginning of his second term. Two were deemed too old, and others disappeared amid the construction of his East Wing. The Jacqueline Kennedy Rose Garden was also demolished.
They'll only be working on "basic housekeeping and repairs that do not require any environmental compliance documentation like fence cleaning and debris cleanup activities."
The officials further told the judge that there are not "massive renovations" expected.
"I don't want to be the overseer of 'Parks & Rec.'. I'm no Amy Pohler," quipped Judge Reyes, according to reporter Scott MacFarlane, live-tweeting the hearing.
"We can't have bulldozers taking down trees... and no one has come to me first," the judge continued.
Plaintiffs explained, "Cutting down trees is the very first step in a golf course construction project."
The attorney for the D.C. Preservation League said that they expect the administration to "use this as an excuse for a hard-core construction." They noted that this is already unfolding with the Kennedy Center.
"The distrust is palpable at this court hearing Preservation group simply doesn't trust what Trump admin is claiming. ... They're suspicious this is a land grab by Trump to take over a public space," wrote MacFarlane.
He noticed that the administration attorneys were using a lot of passive voice when referring to what was unfolding on the golf course. Phrases such as, "No closure notice has been issued.
If more than 10 trees are going to be razed, the court wants to know about it and wants to see the plans. The judge also specifies what trees she's referring to: "By dying tree... I mean a tree that's on death's door."
As if it was scripted for television, the judge was handed a note in the middle of the proceeding.
"It looks like there were signs on the golf course that there were closures," said the judge. Someone else was then asked to check on the signs. That person said that there weren't any signs.
Trump's lawyers weren't aware that was the case. It prompted the judge to start complaining about "surprise" moves by the Trump administration. She said she doesn't want this.
"Maybe this fundraising is coming from the White House and not the agency. I want to find out what's happening. I don't want to get to a hearing date, order documents and it takes a month. Mr. Bardwell, you can subpoena," the judge said about the concerns about where the funds were coming from.
There was then a brief debate about the lead and chemicals in the debris placed on the course that is being used as filler to help renovate the course.
"Here, I feel there is a plan being developed through the White House. Here's what we want going forward. It goes beyond what's been disclosed. When I make a final decision, it will be based on that. I want communications," the judge said, adjourning the hearing.
"It’s entertaining watching all the Trump apologists lose their minds because a judge is actually judging and taking DOJ lawyers to task. If these lawyers didn’t want to spend their Sunday night working, they shouldn’t have misled the Court. This isn’t complicated," remarked the Cato Institute's Mike Fox.
The golf course was previously under construction by the Links Trust before Trump broke the 50-year contract that had been previously approved.