"The administration's 36-page filing included a declaration from Matthew C. Quinn, deputy director of the U.S. Secret Service, the agency responsible for the security of the president and other high-ranking officials, that said more work on the site of the former White House East Wing is still needed to meet the agency's "safety and security requirements." The filing did not explain the specific national security concerns; the administration has offered to share classified details with the judge in a private, in-person setting without the plaintiffs present."
"Quinn said even a temporary halt to construction would "consequently hamper" the agency's ability to fulfill its statutory obligations and its protective mission. A hearing in the case was scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Washington. The government's response offered the most comprehensive look yet at the ballroom construction project, including a window into how it was so swiftly approved by the Trump administration bureaucracy and its expanding scope."
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed suit seeking to halt the White House East Wing ballroom construction until it undergoes independent reviews, public comment, and congressional approval. The administration responded that the Secret Service requires further work to meet safety and security requirements and that unspecified national security concerns justify continuation. The administration offered to share classified details privately with the judge. Demolition and site preparation have proceeded despite final plans not being finalized. The Secret Service warned that any temporary halt would hamper its statutory protective mission. A federal hearing was scheduled to address the dispute.
Read at Boston.com
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