U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said on Nov. 7 that she would appoint Jessie Liu, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, as special master to investigate possible ethical violations by Justice Department and Interior Department lawyers in litigation over East Potomac Golf Links in Washington. Reyes ordered the inquiry after an Oct. 30 hearing, questioning whether government attorneys misrepresented the administration’s intention to proceed with renovations despite a temporary court order blocking the project. Trump had said work would begin immediately, while officials had given the court conflicting assurances. The lawsuit, brought by a nonprofit organization and two Washington residents, alleges that rebuilding East Potomac Park and its publicly accessible golf course violates environmental requirements and a congressional preservation law. An injunction bars further tree removal or damage and requires 10 days’ written notice before any irreparable modification to the course’s forms or features. The administration plans to close the course and park on Nov. 15 for 15 months to create a high-end, championship-level destination capable of hosting major events. The Interior Department called Reyes a “far Left activist judge” and accused her of opposing Trump’s effort to improve Washington’s public spaces. Liu served as Washington’s chief federal prosecutor during Trump’s first administration, oversaw the prosecution of Roger Stone, later worked in private practice and established a law firm with two former prosecutors in April. The special master’s review concerns the conduct and court representations of government lawyers, not the final legality of the renovation itself.