A federal judge in Washington announced Friday that the court will investigate whether government attorneys committed ethical violations before the court in the dispute over the East Potomac Golf Course. Judge Ana Reyes stated the court will open a formal inquiry into whether agency officials and employees, including agency attorneys and Justice Department attorneys, made misrepresentations to the court and otherwise violated applicable ethical rules.

Reyes indicated her intention to appoint a special master to assist in the inquiry. The case centers on a lawsuit filed in February by the DC Preservation League, which seeks to prevent the Interior Department from closing the historic golf course on the Potomac River. The league opposes plans to replace it with a championship-style course favored by President Donald Trump.

The government had previously agreed in court to provide notice to the DC Preservation League regarding any efforts to permanently alter the course. However, the government issued notice of tree cutting at the course late on a Friday afternoon before a three-day weekend. Work commenced early the following morning, resulting in the removal of over 400 trees. This action drew criticism from Judge Reyes and prompted significant court activity to determine if the government had misled the court.

During Friday's motions hearing, Judge Reyes began by reciting the D.C. Bar rules of professional conduct, emphasizing lawyers' duty to be truthful and correct any false statements made to the court. She then questioned Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward regarding the government's representations about its plans to close the golf course on November 15.

Specifically at issue were Woodward's statements during an October 19 evidentiary hearing, where he asserted that there was "no plan to close the course" by November 15. This contradicted a subsequent social media post by President Trump stating, "We are closing the East Potomac Golf Course Site as scheduled on November 15th in order to renovate and rebuild for Competitive (with other such projects!), Safety, Modernization, and Aesthetic reasons."

Friday's hearing was scheduled to address the discrepancy between Woodward's testimony and Trump's public statement, and to determine if any false statements were made to the court. This inquiry follows a sharply worded 70-page ruling issued by Reyes earlier in the week, which criticized the administration's plans for the golf course and concluded that the administration likely violated environmental laws.

The DC Preservation League's lawsuit aimed to halt the closure and renovation of the historic course. The league argued that the proposed changes would fundamentally alter the character of the publicly accessible site. The government's actions, particularly the timing and scale of the tree removal, have raised significant questions about transparency and adherence to legal and ethical obligations.

The investigation by the court, with the assistance of a special master, will focus on the conduct of government attorneys and relevant officials. The outcome could have implications for future legal proceedings involving the golf course and potentially set precedents regarding the conduct of government lawyers in federal court.