The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump to restart construction on his controversial White House ballroom project — but Chief Justice John Roberts is not happy about it.
Roberts joined with the three liberals in a dissent against his conservative colleagues, outlining what he sees as the simple, plain fact that Congress hasn’t granted any authority to move ahead with the project.
“The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place. Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year,” he wrote. “That construction is likely unlawful.”
Roberts cited 40 U.S.C. § 8106, which states that it is illegal to construct any “building or structure … on any reservation, park, or public grounds of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia without express authority of Congress.”
“The ballroom is a building or structure being erected on federal park grounds — President’s Park — in the District of Columbia,” Roberts continued. “Yet Congress has not passed any law resembling ‘express authority’ for the Executive’s construction of it.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling on the White House ballroom, which lifts lower court blocks on construction, is in theory not the final decision, as its legality will continue to be challenged in lower courts. However, it is likely that the ballroom’s construction will be complete or near complete before any final resolution on the matter can be handed down, rendering the issue moot.
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