Justice Department tries to push aside judge in East Potomac Golf Course lawsuit
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The Justice Department filed a motion seeking to remove U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes from a case over the administration's plan to redevelop a public golf course in Washington, D.C., accusing her of bias after she criticized the government's conduct.
The Justice Department on Friday filed a motion seeking to remove U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes from a lawsuit challenging the administration's plan to overhaul the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. The filing launches an aggressive attack on the judge, calling her conduct "egregious" and claiming she has displayed "deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy" toward the administration.
The motion points to a hearing earlier in the week in which Judge Reyes, appointed by former President Joe Biden, expressed alarm that the administration had cut down 169 trees without first notifying the court, saying the government "can't be trusted." The department insists that a federal judge must preserve the appearance of impartiality and argues that Reyes has not done so.
The lawsuit was filed by a preservationist group and two local golfers, who say the proposed renovation — which would require clearing roughly 730 trees — goes far beyond routine maintenance and threatens the historic character of the course. Federal officials, meanwhile, present the tree removal as ordinary safety work.
In its filing, the Justice Department also took aim at the judge for ordering senior officials to appear at Monday's hearing, claiming that the requirement showed disrespect for their time and for separation-of-powers principles.
The administration's request is part of a broader and ongoing legal fight over the president's effort to remake Washington, D.C.'s physical landscape through a series of construction projects.