They say the project is taking place “without legally required approvals or reviews.”
A Virginia couple has gone to court to try to block President Donald Trump from proceeding with demolition of the White House’s East Wing to make way for a new ballroom.
Charles and Judith Voorhees filed a motion in Washington federal court Thursday afternoon, asking a judge to halt any further damage to the White House while the legality of the project is assessed.
The motion seeks a temporary restraining order against the demolition, arguing it is taking place “without legally required approvals or reviews.”
Trump initially said the ballroom would be constructed without impacting the existing structure of the White House, but this week said much of the East Wing was being demolished to make way for the project.
The new court filing, which names Trump and National Park Service Director Jessica Brown as defendants, alleges that the demolition and construction violates the National Capital Planning Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, as well as a mandatory review by the Commission of Fine Arts.
However, at least one of those laws contains an explicit exemption for the White House, the Capitol and the Supreme Court buildings. It’s also unclear whether any further demolition is planned. Photos show the entirety of the East Wing was knocked down in recent days.
The filing, which was not accompanied by the formal complaint that typically initiates a lawsuit and was mislabeled in the court’s online docketing system, appears to be the first legal action over Trump’s ballroom project.
“I feel like a lot of people want to do something about this, but nothing seems to be happening,” said Mark Denicore, the attorney who filed the motion. “I threw that together as fast as I could to try to get it filed as fast as I could.”
Denicore is a member of the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland bars. His website says he’s also a licensed professional engineer and runs a firm that consults on construction projects.
It’s unclear whether the couple can demonstrate the legal standing that federal courts usually require to pursue a challenge to federal government action.
Asked about the Voorhees’ interest in the matter, Denicore said: “They’re just people, U.S. citizens, that don’t like their house being torn down without going through proper procedures.”
In response to a request for comment on the legal filing, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said the ballroom project complies with all legal requirements.
“President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House – just like all of his predecessors did,” Ingle said.