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Tarp Covering Kennedy Center Facade Must Stay, DOJ Argues in Court

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Justice Department attorneys argued in a recent court filing that the tarp covering the Kennedy Center facade must stay as part of ongoing construction work, following a federal judge's May order to remove President Trump's name from the building.

The DOJ wrote that "Center management has erected one portion of this necessary scaffolding," and that the protective barrier was and is "a necessary element of the ongoing construction activities at the Center."

The filing comes after the Kennedy Center's board voted to carve "Renovated by President Donald J. Trump" below the official Kennedy inscription and to name the grounds the "President Donald J. Trump Plaza." The board also voted Aug. 13 to close the center for two years for a $250 million renovation.

Rep. Joyce Beatty's legal team called the DOJ's explanation a "pretextual justification," arguing that "Congress established the Center as a tribute to President Kennedy" and accusing defendants of a "childish refusal to accept this Court's ruling." They are asking the court to demand further explanation if the tarp isn't removed within 30 days.