A federal judge on Monday said she was “furious” with the Trump administration’s move over the weekend to cut down at least 430 trees from a Washington, DC, public golf course that President Donald Trump is seeking to renovate.
US District Judge Ana Reyes, who is overseeing a legal challenge to Trump’s plans to overhaul the East Potomac Golf Course, put a tentative hold on any further tree removal and is holding an emergency hearing Monday, in which she told Justice Department attorneys they had lost “credibility” with her because they gave less than a day’s notice before cutting down the trees.
“More than just being upset and furious right now, I am just beyond disappointed with the government,” Reyes said. When a DOJ attorney said they had done their “best” to give her and the plaintiffs a heads-up, the judge said, her voice raised, “No, you did your absolute worst.”
“I am thoroughly unamused right now,” Reyes also said.
There is a legal principle established by case law called the “presumption of regularity.” By precedent, Judge Reyes is required to presume that the government lawyers are being credible and straight up with her
Regardless of whatever she personally believes, she is putting them on notice that they have now lost that presumption through their behavior.
Fair enough.