A “livid” federal judge summoned one of President Donald Trump’s top park officials into her hearing after testimony that he ordered the weekend cutting of hundreds of golf course trees.
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes called the emergency hearing Monday, held by videoconference, after preservationists and golfers asked her to stop tree cutting at East Potomac Golf Course, court records show.
Kevin Griess, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, testified that Frank Lands, the Park Service’s deputy director for operations, told crews to start cutting Saturday, MeidasTouch Network’s Scott MacFarlane reported.
The plaintiffs argue in court papers that the work clears the way for President Donald Trump’s planned overhaul of the course.
“Misstatements are a federal felony,” Reyes told Griess as he was sworn in, according to Inner City Press.
“Who notified them to start on Saturday?” the judge cut in as Griess began answering the same question from a plaintiffs’ lawyer.
“Deputy Director Frank [Lands],” Griess answered.
“Get Mr. [Lands] here,” Reyes replied.
Reportedly “furious” at that point, the judge warned the government’s lawyer she had better know how to reach him, MacFarlane noted.
“Ms. Piropato, this is an order. I want him here. Proceed,” Reyes said, according to Inner City Press.
Griess testified that the authorization came in an email from Park Service Comptroller Jessica Bowron on the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 6, MacFarlane and Inner City Press reported.
That was three days before the government notified the court and the plaintiffs just before 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, according to the plaintiffs’ emergency motion.
Workers were cutting trees by 8 a.m. Saturday, their brief said.
Earlier in the hearing, government lawyers said they learned of the possible tree removal on Oct. 7. When Reyes asked why they waited until Oct. 9 to tell her, they said they did not know the specific details, NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman reported.
“Ignorance is not an excuse here,” Reyes replied.
The government also said 430 trees came down over the weekend, Gorman reported. The plaintiffs’ brief put the toll at 529 on Saturday alone.
“In what universe did anyone in your office think this was acceptable?” Reyes asked, according to Gorman.
“Your Honor, we did our best,” a government lawyer responded.
“No, you did not do your best. You did your absolute worst,” Reyes said.
“If that order is violated by two seconds, there are going to be contempt proceedings,” Reyes warned, according to Politico’s Kyle Cheney. She was referring to her order earlier Monday halting all tree removal at the course until 7 a.m. Tuesday, court records show.
Griess also testified that the 20 to 40 Park Service workers on the job had been assigned to America 250 projects in Washington before being moved to the golf course last week, Cheney reported.
He said the goal was to return the course to its 1920s design, MacFarlane reported.
“The original course had very, very, very few trees on it at all. And that is the original state of a links-style golf course,” Griess said, according to Gorman.
But when Reyes asked whether the trees removed Saturday were hazardous, Griess answered “No,” MacFarlane reported.
“Only from social media. Not professionally,” Griess said when a plaintiffs’ lawyer asked whether he knew of Trump’s plans for the course, according to Inner City Press.
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