Kennedy Center gets $25 million but double-crosses the Orchestra

The Kennedy Center received about $25 million from the stimulus. Despite saying they had 4,000 employees to support, they will stop paying the National Symphony Orchestra in April.

They claimed only three days ago in their arrogant statement that they had 3,000 employees and 1,000 guest artists. The carefully-worded suggestion was they would keep paying their staff until they re-open May 10th.

THE DOUBLE CROSS

Nearly 100 musicians will no longer receive paychecks after April 3, according to an email from the orchestra’s Covid-19 Advisory Committee.

“The Covid-19 Advisory Committee was broadsided today during our conversation with [Kennedy Center President] Deborah Rutter,” the email says. “Ms. Rutter abruptly informed us today that the last paycheck for all musicians and librarians will be April 3 and that we will not be paid again until the Center reopens.”

The email to the Orchestra went out only HOURS AFTER the President signed the Cares Act doling out $2 trillion to rescue people suffering from the effects of the Coronavirus.

The bailout was designed to “cover operating expenses required to ensure the continuity of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and its affiliates, including for employee compensation and benefits, grants, contracts, payments for rent or utilities, fees for artists or performers,” according to the law’s text, the Free Beacon reports.

The musicians were blindsided. They will grieve the decision with their union.

But leftists care and they love union workers, and they wanted to take care of their employees. Surely, this can’t be happening.

The Center double-crossed the Orchestra, the President, and Congress. They should pass a law stripping them of the funds.

They can keep spending the stimulus funds until September 2021.

The President put Mike Huckabee and John Voight on the board, now he should add James Woods.

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