Andrew Limbaugh

And he was playing coy with the press when they asked him about it, deferring to the board, but then noted how much effort he's been putting into revitalizing the place.

But, you know, actually, after the news was announced, Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty posted a video on social media claiming that, you know, during the call when the vote was held, dissenting voices were silenced.

Roma Daravi, the vice president of public relations at the center, told me that Representative Beatty is a non-voting member.

You know, Beatty is what's called an ex-official member.

She's coming in from Congress and not appointed by the president.

But Congresswoman Beatty's office tells me that she has voted on Kennedy Center board matters in the past.

Yeah, well, President Trump made himself the chair of the board earlier this year.

He replaced the former chair, David Rubenstein, and also fired the former president, Deborah Rudder.

And then he kicked out all of the members appointed by President Biden.

And now the board is stacked with, you know, I think it's fair to call them people loyal to the president.

You got Second Lady Usha Vance, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, attorney general Pam Bondi, and more.

Yes.

Speaking of authority.

So congressional Democrats, including Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, sent a statement stating that federal law prohibits changing the name without congressional action and that the president doesn't have the legal authority to do so.

And then they also noted that the incident with Congressman Beatty reflected a, quote, troubling lack of transparency and respect for the rule of law.

Yeah, it's like intended to be a public auditorium for the country, right?

It was originally going to be called the National Cultural Center.

And then in 64, President Johnson signed legislation naming it the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a, quote, living memorial to President Kennedy, who was just assassinated a few months prior.

And so, you know, the place hosts concerts and musicals and plays, and there's a lot of free events.

And it also helps, like, develop young playwrights and supports dance companies that can't afford to tour.