Judge Isn't Buying White House's 'Brazen' Ballroom Defense

"Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, accused the administration of offering "shifting" arguments for why the $400 million project is not subject to congressional oversight. DoJ lawyers have argued that the project is covered by a federal law that allows the president "to undertake 'alteration' and 'improvement' of the White House, 'as the President may determine.'""

"During the hearing, Judge Leon commented that calling the destruction of the entire East Wing "an alteration" requires "some brazen interpretation of the laws of vocabulary," as CNN reported. He also criticized Trump officials for offering different explanations of which office is leading the ballroom project - a key issue because it determines which federal laws apply."

President Trump initially celebrated a federal judge's decision allowing construction of a $400 million White House Ballroom project to continue. However, Judge Richard Leon invited the National Trust for Historic Preservation to revise its legal challenge to address the merits of the case. During a subsequent hearing, Judge Leon criticized the Justice Department's shifting arguments defending the project, questioning whether destroying the entire East Wing qualifies as an "alteration" under federal law. The judge also noted inconsistencies in administration explanations about which office leads the project, a determination critical to which federal laws apply to the construction.

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