The Justice Department has returned to federal court seeking to lift an injunction that has stalled construction on a planned ballroom adjacent to the White House, saying a shooting near the executive mansion this past weekend demonstrates an immediate need for improved protective measures.
In a five-page court filing submitted on Sunday, the department argued that Saturday's shooting highlights the "critical need for top level, state of the art security at the White House, including the ballroom," and said those security enhancements are vital for national security. The DOJ also asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit that has been blocking progress on the project.
The department had previously requested that a federal judge dismiss the case following a separate incident in April, when an attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was foiled. At that time, the Justice Department advanced similar arguments about security needs in support of the ballroom project.
The litigation was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization. According to the court record, the National Trust said it would not drop its lawsuit after the foiled April attack, despite the DOJ's earlier motion asking the suit to be dismissed.
Officials from the Secret Service said the individual who fired at a White House checkpoint on Saturday was shot by officers and subsequently died after being transported to a hospital on Saturday evening.
Context and implications
The DOJ's renewed filing frames the ballroom as part of a broader security architecture for the White House and reasserts that the project has national security significance. The department is asking the court both to remove the injunction that has prevented work from proceeding and to dispose of the legal challenge entirely.
The lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation remains active in the face of the DOJ's motions. The group, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, has signaled its intent to maintain the challenge despite the department's arguments emphasizing security needs.
Officials reported that the gunman involved in Saturday's shooting was shot by officers and later died after being taken to the hospital on Saturday evening, according to the Secret Service.