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Washington: DOJ Withdraws $41M Cost Claim in Kennedy Center Closure Case, Admits Citing Report Version the Board Never Saw
The Justice Department filed a notice of errata in federal court in Washington, withdrawing its claim that phased renovations would cost $41 million more than a temporary closure, and acknowledging the figure came from a consultant report version the Kennedy Center board never received before its August meeting.
Why it matters
The Justice Department has admitted in a court filing that a central financial justification for closing the Kennedy Center cited a version of a consultant's report the center's board never saw before voting. Withdrawing the $41 million comparison removes a key pillar of the government's case for shuttering the national performing arts venue.
Full report
Justice Department attorneys filed a notice of errata Wednesday in federal court in Washington, withdrawing their claim that renovating the building in phases would cost $41 million more than shutting it down temporarily.
The filing acknowledges the figure referenced not the June 8 version of the JLL consultant's report presented to the board before its August 13 meeting, but an alternate version delivered to the Center on August 20 that the board never received. The government also corrected the report's length: the board saw a 160-page version, not the 180 pages previously claimed.
The errata notice was signed by Justice Department trial attorney William S. Jankowski and states that the defendants 'regret these errors,' offering no replacement cost comparison. The case was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and is before U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper, touching the government's renewed motion for partial summary judgment and its bid to dissolve a preliminary injunction.
Legal expert Adam Klasfeld spotted the filing immediately, posting 'Whoops!' on X and drawing wide attention. Multiple outlets note the withdrawn comparison was one of the administration's main financial justifications for the closure; how the judge weighs the correction will play out in coming proceedings.
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