The government told the people suing over the East Potomac golf course that work could begin, at 4:55 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9. Its notice said up to 529 trees could come down. By the next day, about 430 had been cut, according to the federal court’s own findings.
The freeze. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the work through Oct. 26 and set a $1 bond. In her order, she wrote that officials “raced” ahead because President Trump wants his redesign done fast, and noted that an Interior Department witness testified there was no urgency.
The counterpunch. Instead of appealing, the Justice Department filed a motion on Oct. 16 asking Reyes to step aside from the case. On Oct. 18 she denied it, writing that “it is easy to weaponize selective quotations to bring a baseless recusal motion.”
Where it stands. A hearing on a longer-lasting preliminary injunction was set for Oct. 19. ABC News reported that at that hearing Reyes cited “a strong showing of bad faith” and ordered the government to file a brief. BTP has not yet read a ruling from that hearing and will update this story when one is on the docket.
East Potomac is public parkland. The trees on it belonged to everyone. A one-night head start is not a plan. It is a way to make the court’s decision not matter.