The moment we saw Bill de Blasio’s ugly swing, we knew the ball was headed for the sand trap. In a Trumpian fit of pique last January, the then-mayor yanked the Trump Organization’s contracts with the city, including the Trump Golf Links course in the Bronx, on the publicly stated ground that the then-president had committed a crime on Jan. 6. We’d never defend Trump’s conduct on that day — or throughout the rest of his term, for that matter — but Trump has yet to be charged, much less convicted, of breaking any laws connected to the ignominious insurrection. In its legal papers, the city’s stated justification was that with the bad man’s name on the sign, the course wouldn’t be able to attract top-tier professional tournaments.
It was posturing nonsense, as Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Debra James decided Friday. The course had no legal obligation to host PGA-level tournaments; the contract refers only to a requirement to run “a first class, tournament quality daily fee golf course.” The city twisted itself into a pretzel to try to argue this meant what the city claimed it meant, but James ruled “there is no evidence within the four corners of the agreement of any ambiguity.” And so, the city’s contention that Trump breached his agreement “lacks any legal foundation.”
If only this had been the biggest display of incompetence connected to the course. Last September, the Parks Department tried to sign a deal with a new golf course operator — a joint venture between Atlanta-based Bobby Jones Links and homeless-shelter provider CORE Services Group, which had a half-billion dollars in city contracts. After CORE’s role was exposed, they backed out.
Now it’s back to square, er hole, one, with the Adams’ administration’s Law Department proclaiming itself disappointed and assessing its options. The only thing more quixotic than trying to get a very small ball into a very small hole with implements poorly designed for the purpose is trying to cancel a contract based on language that isn’t in it.
