White House ballroom ruling
An appeals court allowed construction of a proposed $300 million White House ballroom to continue for now while the administration appeals a lower‑court finding that congressional approval is required. The decision keeps work moving forward as the legal dispute continues. (mynspr.org)
A federal appeals court let White House ballroom construction keep going through April 17 while judges sort out whether Congress had to approve it first. (politico.com) The 2-1 order came Saturday from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The panel temporarily stayed a March 31 ruling by United States District Judge Richard Leon that had halted the project. (cbsnews.com) Leon had said the president could not finish the ballroom without congressional authorization and wrote that the project had to stop until Congress approved it. He had delayed enforcement of that injunction for 14 days to give the administration time to appeal. (kunm.org) The appeals court did not decide the core legal question. It sent the case back to Leon to explain whether his order blocks security work the administration says is tied to the site. (cbsnews.com) That security dispute is why the case moved so fast. Government lawyers told the court that stopping work would leave the White House exposed because the project includes a fortified underground complex with bomb shelters, military installations and a medical facility. (cnbc.com) Leon said he had already reviewed classified or sealed material and still concluded that a halt would not endanger national security. His original order carved out an exception for any work “necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House.” (cnbc.com) The lawsuit was brought in December by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is trying to stop the replacement of the demolished East Wing with a new ballroom. Carol Quillen, the group’s president and chief executive, said after Saturday’s ruling that the trust was waiting for clarification from the lower court. (politico.com) News reports have described the project cost differently, with some outlets citing about $300 million and others $400 million. The administration has said Trump and private donors would pay for the ballroom itself, while taxpayers would cover security work on the grounds. (wskg.org, cnbc.com) For now, cranes and crews can keep working while the lower court revisits the security question and the administration decides whether to ask the Supreme Court to step in. (cbsnews.com)
