Judge appoints special master to probe whether White House officials lied about East Potomac Park golf course
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered the investigation after a contentious hearing on Friday.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., announced on Friday that she is appointing a special master to investigate whether Trump administration officials repeatedly lied to her about the president's attempted takeover of the East Potomac Park golf course, according to The New Republic. This story rests on that single report.
The outlet reported that the investigation will begin in a matter of days.
At Friday's hearing, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes asked a Justice Department lawyer whether he had "made any false statements of material fact that you'd like to correct." The lawyer answered "not to my knowledge," The New Republic reported. He told the court he was new to the case, saying, "We have lots of binders."
Reyes then put the same question to an Interior Department official and got the same answer. When she asked whether Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was involved in the park project, the official asked, "What do you mean by 'involved?'" According to the outlet, Reyes read the dictionary definition aloud. After the official said Burgum was aware of the renovation but not involved, Reyes pointed out that he had toured the golf course.
“He doesn't have a body double, does he?”Ana Reyes, U.S. District Judge
The central dispute concerns a November 15 closure date. Reyes noted that Trump posted on Truth Social on October 18 that the park was closing on that date. She said the Justice Department "swore up and down" the next day that it was not, before later confirming the November 15 date, The New Republic reported.
Assistant Attorney General Stanley Woodward then stepped in to halt questioning of the Interior official. "It sounds like you don't want him to answer a very straightforward question," Reyes said. Woodward told the court the closure plan was "noticed" on October 28. He argued that Trump's post said the park "should" close. Reyes corrected him, saying the post said it "will be" closed. According to the outlet, Woodward also questioned whether the posts amounted to plans or orders, and sought to claim executive privilege over them. Reyes responded: "That's quite an extraordinary view of executive privilege."
The hearing also brought out a cost estimate. The New Republic reported that the Justice Department said a new seawall at the park would cost between $150 million and $400 million.
The case matters because it raises questions about whether federal officials have been straight with a federal court. The New Republic also reported that Trump has openly said he is ignoring Reyes's rulings.
Much is still unknown. The report does not name the special master or the Interior Department official, and it does not describe the scope or timeline of the investigation beyond saying it will start soon. It also does not say what the court could do if officials are found to have misled it.
