A Democratic congresswoman has rushed to court to try to prevent President Trump from closing and demolishing the Trump Kennedy Center.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, a member of the board, asked the court Friday to issue a preliminary injunction that would block laying off staff or canceling performances, and explicitly forbid demolition or construction beyond “routine maintenance.”
Her request came as part of an existing lawsuit over the future of the center, a federally backed performing arts complex in Washington.
“Only Congress may close the Kennedy Center, and Congress has not done so,” said Ms. Beatty. “The stakes could not be higher.”
She said she was moving now to try to prevent a repeat of the White House East Wing, which Mr. Trump demolished before opponents could mount a legal attack.
Mr. Trump announced plans to refurbish the center last month on social media.
He said it would close for two years, starting in July.
Ms. Beatty, Ohio Democrat, in another court filing said the center’s board of trustees is slated to meet on March 16 to vote on Mr. Trump’s plans.
Ms. Beatty is an ex officio member of the board. She said she believes the board will try to exclude her from participating in the upcoming meeting, and she asked the court to issue a restraining order guaranteeing her access.
Mr. Trump last year fired a large swath of the center’s leaders, installed himself as chair, and named close confidante Richard Grenell as president of the trustees.
The center has since declared its new name to be the Trump Kennedy Center.
Ms. Beatty had previously sued to stop the name change, and her new requests came as part of that case.
The president says the center has deteriorated and needs refurbishing. He has argued that trying to do upgrades while the center is open would hurt the rebuild, both in terms of schedule and quality of work.
The Washington Times has sought comment from the Justice Department.
In response to Ms. Beatty’s new filing, Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations at the center, said: “We’re confident the court will uphold the board’s decision on the name change and the desperately needed renovations which will continue as scheduled.”
The center said ex officio members such as the congresswoman were invited to the board meeting.
Ms. Beatty, in a letter to Mr. Trump and Mr. Grenell on Feb. 20, said the president’s call to close the facility for two years may be an effort to “conceal declining performances and ticket sales” after the renaming.
She said Mr. Trump had promised the board would have final approval. But she said she’s received no plans detailing the refurbishment.
Part of her request to the court Friday was to order the administration to produce the documents.
The case is being handled by Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee to the U.S. District Court in Washington.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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