Kennedy Center accused of delaying planned repairs
WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Joyce Beatty is urging a federal judge to deny renewed requests to close the Kennedy Center for two years. On Friday, the Ohio Democrat submitted a court filing that she says contains evidence that the Trump administration concealed key information in the ongoing legal battle over the facility.
What we know:
According to Beatty, a trustee, the alleged concealed evidence indicates that a closure is unnecessary and is instead being proposed to hide ongoing mismanagement.
The dispute stems from a broader legal battle over adding President Donald Trump's name to the performing arts facility. While the Trump-appointed board of trustees voted unanimously to approve the name change, a federal judge has twice ruled that the change cannot proceed without congressional approval. Congress has allocated $257 million for repairs to the building.
READ MORE | Kennedy Center accused of delaying planned repairs
Following the judicial rulings blocking the addition of Trump’s name, the board voted in September to close the facility. Trump said in social media posts that the center must shut down for safety repairs, but said that those repairs would only move forward if the board was permitted to add his name to the structure.
Dig deeper:
Beatty's latest court filing alleges that the board of trustees did not receive advice on arts management during their most recent meetings and never saw an analysis from the center’s construction manager that allegedly undermined the justification for shutting down. According to the filing, managers deliberately hid that analysis from the trustees.
The document further alleges that the board was told conducting renovations while keeping the facility open would double construction costs to more than $300 million, contradicting the findings of the president's construction manager, which management withheld. The filing also says that evidence suggests President Trump or someone close to him ordered millions of dollars in donor funds to be withdrawn from the Kennedy Center if his name does not appear on the building.
READ MORE | Fencing goes up around Kennedy Center after board votes to close it
"The court told this Board to do its job. As a trustee, I have a duty to be accountable. Yet Trump and his handpicked management failed to follow the law, hid facts that didn’t fit their narrative, and rubberstamped Trump’s wishes," Beatty said. "I have a duty to protect this living memorial to President Kennedy on behalf of the American people. I will keep fighting to do my job, make sure the law is followed, and ensure that Trump cannot tear down the Kennedy Center to satisfy his ego."
What's next:
The filing asks the court to maintain its existing injunction and hear testimony regarding alleged discrepancies between official records and the Trump administration’s sworn testimony. Beatty also asked the court to consider appointing an independent monitor to protect the Kennedy Center if it is determined to be insolvent.
A federal judge is scheduled to hold a hearing on Beatty’s filing on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
FOX 5 DC has reached out to the White House for comment.
The Source: Information in this article is from court documents and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.