| | | Culture · Politics · Poetry | | THE FEEDSACK | | |  | | The District Feed | | Saturday, October 31 | | Covers roughly 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, Eastern time. | | Weather Mostly sunny today, with a high near 64 and a north wind around 6 mph. Tonight, mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. National Weather Service | | Forwarded this email? Sign up for The District Feed. | | | U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said Friday she will appoint a special master to examine whether Justice Department attorneys and agency officials misrepresented the administration's plans for East Potomac Golf Links to the court. The step follows a Justice Department filing Wednesday night acknowledging that President Trump directed the course to close starting Nov. 15 for a renovation, after government lawyers had earlier told the court there was no formal closure plan. Context East Potomac Park is federal parkland in Southwest D.C. run by the National Park Service, part of the Interior Department, so the city government does not control it. Reyes had earlier turned down the challengers' requests for her to step in, saying she trusted the government's lawyers, and she has already barred more tree removal after hundreds of trees were cut this month. At Friday's hearing, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. at first described the tree cutting as part of closure preparation, then corrected himself to say it was not part of the closure plan. A lawyer for the challengers said the judge was "troubled, and rightly so." The reports include no new comment from the Justice Department, Interior or the White House, and no start date has been set for the inquiry. | | | U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan heard arguments Friday on a request by three Vietnam War veterans and a historian to halt construction of a 250-foot arch planned between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. She did not rule but said she would decide "expeditiously"; Justice Department filings say construction could begin as soon as Nov. 5 if the National Capital Planning Commission gives final approval that day. Context The veterans argue the project lacks approval from Congress and would harm their visits to the graves of friends; plaintiff Michael Lemmon called it "disrespectful" to the cemetery. Justice Department lawyer Robert Stander called the arch a high-priority project, argued the veterans lack standing to sue, and cited declarations from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that it could serve national security purposes, including drone defense. Chutkan questioned that justification, which first appeared in filings Thursday, and said standing was the most important question before her. | | | Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who sits on the Kennedy Center's board of trustees, filed papers Friday asking a federal judge to deny renewed requests to close the center for two years and to keep an existing court order in place. She alleges trustees were never shown a construction manager's analysis that she says weakens the case for closing, and asks the court to hear testimony and to consider an independent monitor if the center is found insolvent. Context The Kennedy Center's board of trustees, appointed by President Trump, voted in September to close the main building, and Trump has said it must shut for safety repairs; a center spokesperson has cited "longstanding infrastructure failures." A federal judge has twice ruled that adding Trump's name to the building requires approval from Congress, which has set aside $257 million for repairs. Beatty's claims are allegations, not court findings; FOX 5 DC said it asked the White House for comment and had no response. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. | | A 9th Circuit panel voted 2-1 Friday to reject the Justice Department's request that California set aside mail ballots tied to about 20,000 people the department says may not be citizens, finding no feasible way to separate specific voters' ballots without serious risk to the election system. Separately, federal grand jury subpoenas went this week to at least three Los Angeles County election officials, who were asked to appear Nov. 4, and to an Orange County official, seeking records on how their offices keep noncitizens from voting. Context The administration says federal law requires California to check the ballots before counting them; Judge Patrick Bumatay wrote in dissent that the federal government should not have to wait while a state allows federal law to be broken. California officials say the list is unreliable and likely includes many citizens, and that processed ballots are anonymized and cannot be matched to voters; Secretary of State Shirley Weber called the allegations "vague and unsubstantiated." A district judge had already denied the request, and the majority included one Trump appointee and one Biden appointee. A Justice Department spokesperson said a subpoena does not mean someone is a target, and Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, warned that officials who knowingly process a noncitizen's ballot face legal jeopardy. The administration could ask the full 9th Circuit or the Supreme Court to review the ruling; Election Day is Tuesday. | | | Republicans in both chambers will choose their leaders on Nov. 10, a week after Election Day, with House Republicans voting that afternoon for leader, whip and conference chair after a morning candidate forum. If Republicans keep the House majority, they would also nominate a speaker that day; the full House votes for speaker in January. Context Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, both Republicans, now lead their chambers, and Roll Call names no challengers to either. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., defended Thune, and President Trump has praised Johnson. The report did not say when Democrats will hold their leadership votes. | | Note On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, D.C. vote centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. D.C. Board of Elections | | | Civic | Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. · Early vote centers across D.C. In-person early voting is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 1, the last day of early voting. | | | | Things to do | Saturday, 1 p.m. · Dupont Circle Park, 9 Dupont Circle NW A family fall festival from the Dupont Circle Business Improvement District with live bluegrass, pumpkin decorating, cornhole and costume contests for kids, pets and adults. | | | Sunday, 10 a.m. · National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW · Free A quilt-themed day with free museum admission, pop-up quilting, open studio art-making and collection tours; registration is recommended. | | Follow The Feedsack
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