Judge Reyes opens misconduct probe into DOJ golf course claims

District Judge Ana Reyes launched a formal investigation into potential misconduct by Justice Department attorneys on Friday. The probe will examine whether government lawyers made misrepresentations to the court regarding the status of renovation plans for East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C.

Reyes ordered the hearing after government attorneys filed a document Wednesday confirming a plan to convert the municipal golf course into a championship venue. This admission contradicted months of prior filings in which the lawyers stated no such plan was final.

The legal dispute began in February when local historic preservation advocates and golfers sued to stop the renovations. The conflict escalated 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 to begin work without proper approvals.

On Monday, the judge extended a ban on further tree removal. She also required the government to provide 10 days' written notice before closing or irreversibly modifying the park. In a 70-page opinion, Reyes noted that the case had grown beyond the issue of golf.

Reyes wrote that the Justice Department urged the court not to believe the sitting president. President Trump responded to the ruling on social media, stating that Reyes had no right to hold up the project. He specifically mentioned that a White House staffer was hit in the chest by a golf ball through a hole in the driving range net.

During the four-hour hearing, Reyes questioned Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr., who leads the government's defense. She asked if he would correct any false statements made to the court. Woodward said he did not know of any, noting that he had not read every transcript in the case.

Reyes pressed Woodward on why the government submitted renovation plans to the National Capital Planning Commission on Friday without mentioning the submission in previous hearings. She asked if officials were drafting the designs while telling the court no plan existed. Woodward said the submission had been in the works for several weeks.

The judge also inquired about the condition of the park's seawall. Government lawyers stated the century-old structure is crumbling into the Potomac River and poses a safety hazard. Woodward estimated the repair cost between $150 million and $400 million.

Reyes announced she may appoint a special master with full investigatory powers to lead the inquiry. If the government rejects that officer, she will conduct the investigation herself. She ordered all relevant documents preserved to prevent the loss of evidence.

Reyes stated that the court previously trusted the administration's word but would now verify. She emphasized that opening the investigation does not mean the court has found violations of professional obligations.