Senate Democrats are investigating the Kennedy Center for 'cronyism, corruption' [View all]
Source: NPR
November 21, 2025 4:06 PM ET
The ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which oversees public buildings, is investigating leadership at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for what he says are "millions in lost revenue, luxury spending, and preferential treatment for Trump allies."
The committee's ranking member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sent a letter outlining the claims to Kennedy Center president, Richard Grenell. Grenell denied the allegations in a letter that was posted to the Kennedy Center's social media.
The Kennedy Center's building is maintained by the federal government, though its programming and staff are supported by a combination of private and federal funds.
Whitehouse's letter, plus documentation obtained by Democrats on the Senate committee, are posted on its website. The documents appear to show that non-arts groups are getting significant discounts on rental fees at the Kennedy Center. There is a copy of a contract with FIFA that shows the international soccer organization will not pay the usual $5 million in rental fees when it takes over the center for three weeks in order to announce next year's World Cup draw, as first reported by The Washington Post.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/21/nx-s1-5616287/senate-democrats-kennedy-center-investigation
Link to Senator Whitehouse PRESS RELEASE - Whitehouse Launches Investigation into Cronyism, Corruption at Kennedy Center Under Grenell
Link to LETTER (inquiry) (PDF) - https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=files.serve&File_id=FCDE86A8-1E5C-43FA-B663-12D143185012
Link to DOCUMENTS (PDF) - https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/files/Final-KENNEDY-CENTER-Appendix.pdf
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