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The MaddowBlog-New reporting shows how Team Trump took steps to rename the Kennedy Center
The president’s appointees to the Kennedy Center board tweaked the bylaws so that only their votes would count.
New reporting shows how Team Trump took steps to rename the Kennedy Center - MS NOW
— (@oc88.bsky.social) 2026-01-02T21:28:42.265Z
apple.news/A83RHb-Y4Sau...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/new-reporting-shows-how-team-trump-took-steps-to-rename-the-kennedy-center
Two weeks ago, after Donald Trump’s handpicked allies claimed they had renamed The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to include the incumbent president’s name, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed a curious boast: She insisted that the center’s board, stacked with Trump loyalists, had “voted unanimously” to make the change......
With this in mind, was Leavitt simply lying in her statement? As it turns out, it depends on what one means by “unanimous.” The Washington Post reported:
In other words, after the president seized control over the cultural institution early last year, he chose loyalists to serve on its traditionally bipartisan board. Those board members then decided that their colleagues — the ones who weren’t appointed by Trump — would be powerless when it came time for the board to make decisions......
As the congresswoman’s civil suit proceeds, other lawmakers have taken an interest in the burgeoning controversy, including Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney of Maryland, who introduced legislation last week to remove Trump’s name.
As for the center’s entertainment lineup, artists continue to cancel their plans to perform at the Kennedy Center as a result of Trump’s gambit. Watch this space.
With this in mind, was Leavitt simply lying in her statement? As it turns out, it depends on what one means by “unanimous.” The Washington Post reported:
The Kennedy Center adopted bylaws earlier this year that limited voting to presidentially appointed trustees, a move that preceded a unanimous decision this month by board members installed by President Donald Trump to add his name to the center.
The current bylaws, obtained by The Washington Post, were revised in May to specify that board members designated by Congress — known as ex officio members — could not vote or count toward a quorum. Legal experts say the move may conflict with the institution’s charter[/i].
In other words, after the president seized control over the cultural institution early last year, he chose loyalists to serve on its traditionally bipartisan board. Those board members then decided that their colleagues — the ones who weren’t appointed by Trump — would be powerless when it came time for the board to make decisions......
As the congresswoman’s civil suit proceeds, other lawmakers have taken an interest in the burgeoning controversy, including Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney of Maryland, who introduced legislation last week to remove Trump’s name.
As for the center’s entertainment lineup, artists continue to cancel their plans to perform at the Kennedy Center as a result of Trump’s gambit. Watch this space.
The Washington post article cited above makes clear that the change of the bylaws violated the corporate charter and this change was void. trump has never had competent corporate counsel and here the change made should not stand up in court.