"The bylaws, in a possible breach of the institution's charter, were revised in May and specified that board members appointed by Congress, known as ex-officio members, could not vote or count towards a quorum, according to the Washington Post. The new rule was in force when the board voted unanimously on 18 December to add Trump's name to the center, rebranding the building as the Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
"Trump took over as chair of the board in February, quickly purging sitting members, while installing his supporters including his longtime foreign policy adviser Ric Grenell, whom he appointed as president of the center. Grenell had been a vocal tribune of Trump's America First ideology, and was not afraid to ruffle feathers during past spells as ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence (he was the first openly gay person to lead the intelligence community). Just prior to his Kennedy Center appointment, Grenell served as the president's envoy for special missions, and was involved in securing the release of Americans detained in Venezuela."
Bylaws were revised in May to specify that board members appointed by Congress, known as ex‑officio members, could not vote or count toward a quorum. The rule was in force when the board voted unanimously on December 18 to add Donald Trump's name, rebranding the building as the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The name change prompted widespread protests, artist cancellations, and congressional vows to overturn it. Representative Joyce Beatty sued to reverse the change, arguing that renaming requires an act of Congress. Trump became board chair in February, purged members, and installed supporters including Ric Grenell as president. The center lists 34 presidential appointees and 23 ex‑officio members required by law.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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