A historic preservation group is brushing off pressure to abandon its fight against President Trump's plan for a $400 million White House ballroom, rejecting the Justice Department's argument that the effort risks the president's safety. In a letter to DOJ official Brett Shumate on Monday, attorney Gregory Craig said his client, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, would not drop its case, calling the claim that the suit puts Trump's life in "grave" danger "incorrect and irresponsible." The DOJ had argued the group should walk away in light of Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which forced the president's evacuation from the Washington Hilton, CNBC reports.
"This case does not jeopardize the President's safety in any way," Craig wrote, adding that nothing stops the administration from seeking the congressional approval a federal judge said the Constitution and federal law require for construction on White House grounds. The "awful event" on Saturday does not change the legal requirements, the nonprofit said, per the Washington Post. Several congressional Republicans said they'll try to win congressional approval of the ballroom project.
The judge froze work this month on the proposed 90,000-square-foot venue, ruling that Trump lacked the necessary sign-off from Congress. The DC Circuit later lifted that order while fast-tracking the government's appeal. About 2,300 people attended the dinner, which is not a White House event, on Saturday night. It's put on by the White House Correspondents' Association, a nonprofit organization of journalists from media outlets that cover the president, per the AP. The White House ballroom plans call for a capacity of about 1,000 people.
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