The federal judge overseeing the fight over East Potomac Golf Course in Washington has appointed former U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu to investigate whether Justice Department or Interior Department lawyers committed ethical violations in the case, The Washington Sun reported Saturday. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes wants to know whether government officials misled her about plans to rebuild the 18-hole public course, and the order gives the government and other parties until Friday to submit any concerns in writing, according to that report. The order itself had not been posted to the public court record as of Saturday afternoon.
The course itself is scheduled to close next weekend. In an Oct. 28 notice to the court, the Justice Department said the Park Service plans to shut the part of East Potomac Park below Buckeye Drive, golf course included, on Nov. 15, "consistent with the President's directive."
What closes on Nov. 15
National Links Trust, the company that runs the course, signed a new lease with the Park Service on Oct. 28. Under it, the company stops operating East Potomac by close of business on or before Nov. 15 but keeps running the Rock Creek and Langston courses. The government also pointed to the seawall along the park's edge, which it says is "crumbling into the Potomac River," and said the southern part of the park must close for safety "regardless of the ultimate design of the golf course."
The plaintiffs call that safety rationale "pretextual." In a Nov. 5 motion, they asked Reyes for a 14-day temporary restraining order or stay against the closure. The court record available Saturday showed no ruling on it yet. National Links Trust's website still listed East Potomac as open with November hours.
How the case got here
The DC Preservation League and two residents, Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, sued in February. They argue that a "Washington National Plan" exists to replace the course with a championship-style layout built for professional tournaments. The government says no final plan exists.
On Oct. 26, Reyes granted a preliminary injunction that bars cutting or damaging trees in East Potomac Park without court approval, except for imminent safety threats. It also requires at least 10 business days' written notice before any closure of the course, including who authorized it and whether it is tied to the Washington National Plan or a design by golf architect Tom Fazio.
Her 70-page opinion opens: "Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President." It sets President Trump's Truth Social posts, which said work would start "IMMEDIATELY!" and that the course would close for more than a year, against testimony from Interior employees who said they knew of no Nov. 15 start date. The government appealed to the D.C. Circuit the next day and asked Reyes to pause the injunction.
Two days after the ruling, the government told the court the Park Service would send the National Capital Planning Commission a Fazio rendering for "a World Class, championship-level golf course" that could host the U.S. Open or the Ryder Cup.
What happens next
| Date | What is scheduled |
|---|---|
| Friday, Nov. 13 | Written concerns are due under the Nov. 7 order, as the Washington Sun described it |
| Nov. 13 | The planning commission posts its tentative agenda for Dec. 3 |
| Nov. 15 | Planned closure of the course and the park below Buckeye Drive |
| Dec. 2, noon ET | Deadline for written comments and to register to speak at the commission |
| Dec. 3, 1 p.m. ET | Commission meeting where the government says the Fazio plan will be considered |
The commission's agenda page says the final agenda will be posted Nov. 27, less than a week before the meeting. The public court record available Saturday also showed no ruling on the government's request to pause the injunction while it appeals.
