Courthouses eyed for potential sale by Trump administration

By Nate Raymond

March 5 (Reuters) - Courthouses in states including California, Minnesota and Texas are among the more than 400 federal buildings Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's administration included in a list of facilities potentially up for sale that was released on Tuesday.

The General Services Administration, which manages federal properties, on Tuesday said it had identified 443 properties totaling more than 80 million square feet that "are not core to government operations" and could be sold off.

The GSA said that list excluded "core" federally-owned buildings "critical" for government operations, which it said included courthouses. Yet the list identified several properties in Alaska, California, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas as courthouses.

By Wednesday morning, the list was gone, replaced with a message on GSA's website that a list was "coming soon." A GSA spokesperson had no immediate comment on why the list was removed.

The inclusion of the courthouses on the initial list came as judges and bar associations have raised concerns about threats to the judiciary's independence as Trump, billionaire Elon Musk and Republican allies ramp up criticism of judges who have blocked the administration's policies.

GSA's announcement on Tuesday appeared to be part of the overall cost-cutting push by the administration and the Musk-spearheaded Department of Government Efficiency aimed at shrinking the size of the federal government and workforce.

The judiciary is one of three branches of the federal government and operates independently of the executive branch Trump leads. But it relies on some services and functions that are maintained by arms of executive branch, including GSA.

Trump, Musk and their conservative allies have in recent weeks sharply criticized judges who have ruled against the Republican president's policies and government downsizing agenda, with Musk and some Republican lawmakers calling for judges who deliver adverse rulings to be impeached.

The GSA last month asked the judiciary to justify why it should not cancel leases for space it utilizes at 160 locations nationally. It ultimately told the judiciary it had no plans to terminate any "mission critical" leases, according to a Friday memo from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Among the courthouses GSA on Tuesday listed for potential sale was the James A. Redden U.S. Courthouse in Medford, Oregon. Medford is one of four divisions of the District of Oregon, whose judges are largely stationed in Portland and Eugene.

Chief U.S. District Judge Michael McShane of Oregon called it "a bit jarring to see it listed as 'non-core." The Medford facility houses a full-time judge and staff, three attorneys with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and probation and pretrial services, he said.

He said he believed it was listed because it is slated to be sold after a new courthouse in Medford under development is completed, adding he "cannot imagine having to shift the work of the Medford division to Eugene or Portland."

"It is certainly something I'm looking into, but I'm not ready to hit the panic button quite yet," McShane said.

In Minnesota, Democratic U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith on Tuesday sent a letter to the GSA asking why the Edward J. Devitt U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Fergus Falls was facing an "abrupt and unplanned closure."

"I am aware of the GSA's decision, and I shared it with our judges today," Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz in Minnesota said. "I can't say anything more, as this issue has become politicized, and judges have to stay out of politics."

The GSA also listed the old courthouse in El Paso, Texas, as well as a property in Del Rio that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas currently uses for office space. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses described the Del Rio property as "perfect for a new courthouse and future expansion."

"If that property is sold, I currently have zero options for where to house about half of my U.S. Probation office," she told Reuters.

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Trump administration eyes canceling leases for space used by US judiciary