A federal judge has halted Donald Trump’s plans to build a presidential library in his adopted home state of Florida.
Judge Mavel Ruiz of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit temporarily froze the transfer of land from a college to the state, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Local historian Marvin Dunn filed the lawsuit, arguing that the public did not receive proper notice about plans to convert 2.6 acres of Miami Dade College land into a fawning monument celebrating Trump’s time in office.
Dunn’s lawsuit claims that the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees violated Florida law by failing to provide adequate public notice of its intent to sell the land, which is valued at roughly $67 million.
The board voted on Sept. 23 to transfer the land, currently used as a parking lot, to the state to allow construction of the library as part of a plan approved by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The meeting reportedly lasted less than five minutes, according to The New York Times, and the public was only informed beforehand that the board would “discuss potential real estate transactions.”
At a hearing on Tuesday, Judge Ruiz said, “the court does not believe that the notice was reasonable,” adding that the college could issue a new public notice and hold another meeting to vote on the land transfer again, The Journal reported. The board instead announced plans to appeal the ruling.
“We believe that Judge Ruiz made a well-reasoned decision on this matter of great public importance,” Richard Brodsky, an attorney for Dunn, told Axios. “We hope that Miami Dade College will give proper notice and allow public input.”
In September, The Times reported that Trump was also considering using the site to build commercial properties such as hotels, restaurants, or luxury apartments. The proposed land deal requires only that “components” of the 2.6-acre site house a presidential library or museum and that construction begin within five years.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Trump Presidential Library Foundation for comment.
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