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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 11h

Judge Reyes has granted the plaintiffs' motion for a TRO in D.C. Preservation League v. DOI. Orders that government may not fell further trees on and must provide 3 business days' notice prior to making any irreparable modification to East Potomac Golf Course thru Oct. 26.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

She extended the order verbally through tomorrow at 2 in the hearing, and granted plaintiffs’ motion for advance notice. We are waiting to see whether she further extends the TRO.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Trying again after a date typo! Judge Reyes reschedules tomorrow’s hearing in East Potomac golf course case for Monday, Oct. 19. Orders that Gregory Wischer and Jessica Bowron attend and prepare to present sworn testimony.

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Reposted by Molly Roberts

Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

So, see you (and Greg Wischer) tomorrow I guess?

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

A bit earlier Judge Reyes said, "The only reason I have not yet entered a 'show cause' for contempt is I never put this in a formal order."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The takeaway is that she'll extend the TRO until at least tomorrow, when she'll try to get testimony from Greg Wischer that doesn't conflict with the government counsel's travel. She may extend it further only for purposes of deciding whether to enter a further TRO.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"I am beyond disappointed in the government right now. I wanted you all to be better than you have been. I really did want you all to be better than you've shown yourselves to be, at least with respect to this case."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The questions today go to "whether or not I've been lied to. Whether I've been lied to in the declarations about the plan, whether I've been lied to about the timing of things, whether I've been lied to about what kind of notice the court was going to receive."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

If you don't understand the relevance, says Judge Reyes, the government has a much bigger problem than I understood it to have.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Hear from Greg Wischer tomorrow, then extend TRO at least up through his testimony. DOJ says they want the judge to rule on the PI, which is briefed, instead (presumably because they think they'll win on the merits). Says Wischer testimony won't illuminate anything relevant.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Or extend the TRO to tomorrow, in order to figure out whether she needs to do a full 14-day TRO.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Put in place expedited briefing on summmary judgment motion and PI. Would like to have an order in place that says no further trees or anything else can happen on the golf course without 72 hours notice to plaintiffs and the court -- then take off the TRO.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"So now we're all gonna have a massive fire drill because the government can't be trusted. Unless you're gonna tell me that the government can be trusted?" Judge Reyes now proposes a plan.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Now, there are 300 more trees that are gonna get cut down, "and I have no faith the government isn't gonna cut them down unless there's an order in place not to do so."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"I have not wanted to enter a TRO. I have not wanted to enter a PI. I have time and time and time again avoided doing that...because I actually don't think courts should be playing Parks and Rec."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"Let me ask you this, counsel, do you think the government acted in good faith on Friday or Saturday? I'm not going to ask you that question. I'm going to withdraw that question." How should we proceed now?

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Testimony was that there's absolutely no urgency whatsoever. "Why did no one...raise their hand and say, hey...maybe we should take a beat so we don't chop down hundreds of trees when the court has said repeatedly that she's gonna trust us to act in good faith?"

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I have repeatedly on the record rejected plaintifs' requests for notification order because I told them, I told the American public, "You can trust the government." I do not understand why this went foward on Saturday. Why did this go forward on Saturday?

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Here's the thing, counsel. There are American citizens who are deeply concerned with the actions of the government, and I have repeatedly on the record said, "Don't be concerned. I trust the government."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

And let's do this after we've heard from the plaintiffs and court on how to proceed. Maybe at a minimum we should wait until the next business day.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

What I cannot understand is why...given the number of times I made abundantly clear what I didn't want to happen, that no one said, hey...no reason to begin this on Saturday, let's give plaintiffs notice, let's give the court notice.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

To say that no, no, what she meant was that we weren't going to chop down hundreds of trees with respect to the renovation plan and didn't mean chop down trees with respect to a 2019 plan that no one had done anything about for 7 years is preposterous.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"...and then no notice at all that something is going to happen until Friday afternoon...when I have two gov. officials testifying under oath that there was zero urgency to this is completely beyond the pale."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

"Everyone at NPS knew there was a concern about cutting down trees...There was zero ambiguity about that. The idea that I had a decision made on Oct. 5 and I get a signed declaration from the director of the relevant agency on Oct. 6 saying nothing is going to happen..."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

DOJ says this wasn't a renovation. Judge Reyes says, "What I find most frustrating about this, counsel, is that this is all double-speak."

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Judge Reyes now asking how she got a declaration from acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron on Oct. 6 saying significant renovation work on the golf course wouldn't happen when at least of Oct. 5 there was a plan in place to cut down hundreds of trees.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

We're back with DOJ objecting more even more vigorously after the fact to attorney-client privilege issues with the recent lines of questioning.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

10 minute break, after which suggestions on how to move forward. Wants timing thoughts from government, because "as far as I can tell there's zero urgency to any of this, so I want some thoughts about what we do with the remaining trees"

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Judge Reyes wants to know where we are with Greg Wischer. He has been emailed and called, but DOJ hasn't managed to reach him. Says it's a holiday; Judge Reyes says she is well aware. (Me too!)

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

DOJ: CLR and plans vis a vis Langston and Rock Creek. Who manages Rock Creek golf course? FL: National Links Trust DOJ: Given leasee managing, who would be the entity charged with implementing a CLR? FL: The leasee Same exchange about Langston

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Last time you talked to anyone at WH about golf? FL: Approx 3 months ago JR: No one since then? FL: Not to best of my recollection

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Other mtgs? FL: Multiple discussions w/ other entities abt East Potomac golf course but not nexus to CLR JR: Who? FL: Privileged to sit in mtg w/ Fazio some time ago, another indiv interest in golf course I showed around, don't know specifically his affiliation. And discussed w/ WH staff

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: General conversations? FL: Never anyone White House or outside DOI in conversations abt implementation of CLR AL: Mtgs where CLR came up and also convo abt any other proposal, anyone from another agency or WH? FL: I have not been in mtgs w/ any agency outside DOI or WH on any disc of CLR

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: In some sets of mtgs, Trump Company? FL: CLR within Dept. Interior, don't remember discussions about CLR with anyone else AL: Anyone in convos w/ anyone outside DOI? Other agency, WH? FL: Didn't have any convos specifically abt implementation of CLR w/ anyone outside agency

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: was Tom Fazio at meetings in which the CLR was discussed or mtgs in which CLR was discussed and other possible uses were also discussed? (A/C privilege back and forth) FL: No audio cutting out a bit

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: You used phrase NEPA stuff/NEPA actions. You meant that which occurred that led up to cat ex done on Oct. 9? FL: Correct. AL: In manual, Dr. Griess makes cat ex? FL: If that's what manual says AL: Questions to clear up CLR mtgs

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

FL: Yes, typical AL: What caused them to now be shifted is that this became a priority? FL: I made the priority based on the directive given in the mtg JR: Including to do all that ASAP? FL: Yes. As soon as practical, I would use the term

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: What were personnel doing before decided to employ in this operation? FL: Projects very similar. Keep D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Could have been working on making sure fountains continuing to work AL: Already deployed, you told them stop that and let's put you on getting this done on Sat?

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: Where get resources? FL: Existing staff AL: In existence prior to last wk. Weeks, months? Who made decision to take from wherever they were and say these ppl can get this done bc I was told to get done as quickly as poss? You? FL: I made decision to execute directive, pulled to get wk done

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

AL: Recall any conversation w/ Griess or anybody else in last week about once decision to move ahead/get done there were any resources or personnel available to do it? FL: Once given word to execute, applied appropriate resources/personnel AL: We = Dr. Griess? You? FL: I coordinated w/ staff

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Any order given out to contracting staff to speed up approval of contract? FL: Have to go back and look JR: Currently aware of reason has to be done urgency other than express preference? FL: Not aware of any reason

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Whoops, obviously that was DOJ not Judge Reyes!

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Objection for appellate record. Beyond scope of TRO hearing.

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Who can I call for costs associated at this juncture? FL: Idk that anyone has JR: Any kind of budget before work was undertaken or no? FL: General contract estimate put together to remove the trees JR: How much? FL: I do not recall JR: Who would? FL: No one I know you cld call immediately

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Molly Roberts @mollyroberts.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

JR: Estimate of how much cost American taxpayer FL: Can't even ballpark. not privacy JR: Who in U.S. gov can I call to get an estimate of how much this is costing? Work undertaken without assessment of how much it's going to cost?

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