Washington – On Friday, Ohio Democrat Rep. Joyce Beatty filed a new court petition seeking to keep the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts open. Beatty argues that a trustee’s evidence shows the proposed two‑year closure is unnecessary and was introduced to conceal ongoing mismanagement.
Allegations of concealed evidence
According to the filing, a trustee claims the board of trustees never received independent arts‑management advice during recent meetings and was denied access to an analysis from the center’s construction manager that allegedly undermines the justification for shutting down the venue. The filing further alleges that board members were told keeping the center open during renovations would double construction costs to over $300 million, a figure that contradicts the president’s construction manager’s findings, which were allegedly withheld.
Trump administration’s position
President Trump has publicly stated that the Kennedy Center must close for essential safety repairs. In recent social‑media posts, he emphasized that any repair work will only move forward if the board is permitted to add his name to the building, a step the Trump‑appointed board of trustees voted to approve unanimously. The administration contends that the shutdown is driven by genuine safety concerns, not political motives.
Congressional funding and legal background
Congress has allocated $257 million for repairs to the historic venue. However, a federal judge has twice ruled that adding President Trump’s name to the facility cannot proceed without congressional approval. Following those rulings, the board voted in September to close the center.
Beatty’s petition asks the court to maintain the existing injunction, hear testimony about the alleged discrepancies between official records and the Trump administration’s sworn testimony, and consider appointing an independent monitor to protect the Kennedy Center if it is found to be insolvent.
Response from the Kennedy Center board
The filing alleges that board members were not shown the construction manager’s analysis and that managers deliberately hid the analysis from trustees. It also claims evidence suggests President Trump or a close associate ordered donor funds to be withdrawn from the Kennedy Center if his name does not appear on the building.
Upcoming hearing
A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Beatty’s filing on Tuesday, Nov. 3. FOX 5 DC has reached out to the White House for comment.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
