A federal judge has named the lawyer she intends to appoint to investigate whether government attorneys acted unethically in the East Potomac Golf Links case. The appointment is not yet final, and no misconduct has been found.
In a signed minute order dated Saturday, November 7, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes gave notice that she intends to appoint Jessie K. Liu as a special master under Rule 53 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. A special master is an independent lawyer whom a court appoints to investigate a question and report back to the judge. Liu was the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia from 2017 to 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term, and now works in private practice.
If the appointment goes ahead, Liu would examine whether lawyers for the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior committed ethical violations in this case through October 31, 2026. Both sides may comment or object in writing by 10 a.m. on Friday, November 13. The government would pay the cost of the work. A detailed order setting out the assignment would follow.
Reyes opened the inquiry on October 30. She said she was concerned that government lawyers had misrepresented the administration’s plans to close and rebuild the course after she had temporarily blocked the project. Those are concerns, not findings. The judge has made no finding that any lawyer broke the rules.
The Interior Department answered with a statement calling Reyes a “far Left activist judge” who would “stop at nothing to prevent President Donald Trump’s efforts to beautify our nation’s capital.” The National Park Service has said the course will close on November 15 for the renovation. The preservation group and the two golfers who sued have asked the court to stop that closure, and a hearing on their request is set for November 13.
