A federal judge in Washington has said she will appoint a former top prosecutor to investigate whether Trump administration lawyers committed ethical violations while defending President Donald Trump’s plan to rebuild a historic public golf course in the capital.

US District Judge Ana Reyes said on Saturday that she intends to name Jessie Liu, who served as US attorney for the District of Columbia from 2017 to 2020, as a special master in the case over the East Potomac Golf Links. Reuters reported that Liu would examine the conduct of lawyers from the departments of Justice and Interior during the litigation.

The inquiry follows an October 30 hearing at which Judge Reyes ordered an ethics investigation and raised concerns that government lawyers had misrepresented the administration’s intention to press ahead with the renovation despite her temporary order blocking the project. The proposed inquiry would cover their conduct through October 31 and would be carried out at the government’s expense.

The lawsuit was brought by a preservation group and two Washington residents who argue that the planned reconstruction of East Potomac Park, including the golf course, would breach environmental laws and a congressional preservation act. They say the project would change the character of an affordable public course used by local golfers.

Liu is a notable choice for the role: she was the capital’s top federal prosecutor during Mr Trump’s first term, when she oversaw the criminal case against his longtime adviser Roger Stone. No finding of wrongdoing has been made, and both sides have until Friday, November 13, to respond to the proposed appointment before a further hearing that day. The administration plans to close the course on November 15 for a renovation lasting about 15 months.