Kennedy Center Repair Halt Sparks Whistleblower Allegations

Anonymous whistleblowers allege that Kennedy Center director Matt Floca has been aware of roof-overhang leaks for years but ordered the remediation effort to stop in April.

CNN

The funding was intended to address long-standing leakage, but a September 4 incident in which a section of ceiling plaster fell in the Grand Foyer has been repeatedly cited by Kennedy Center leadership and President Donald Trump as evidence of “completely unsafe conditions.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick released security video of the falling plaster, which Trump later shared while declaring that the public could no longer be allowed inside the building.

CNN

In response, the Kennedy Center issued a statement emphasizing patron safety and asserting that the roof overhang leak was known for years, with the full extent of interior damage only discovered “this summer.”

CNN

Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio board member, has sued to prevent the addition of Trump’s name to the venue. The center announced a temporary closure through September 30 to assess safety risks. Earlier this year, Trump, serving as chairman of the board, announced a planned two-year shutdown slated for July 4, but a federal judge temporarily blocked that closure. Lawyers for the venue have threatened demolition if renovation approvals are not secured.

CNN

• “The Kennedy Center has known for years that the roof overhang leaked. What we did not know until this summer was how far the damage had spread inside it,” — Matt Floca, kennedy center’s director — Matt Floca, Kennedy Center director.

CNN