Grenell Lashes Out At Democrat Senator’s ‘Careless’ Probe Of Kennedy Center Finances

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell threw down the gauntlet over what he called Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s “careless” and “inaccurate” probe into the performing arts institution.

Whitehouse, an ex officio member of Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees, debuted a litany of allegations against Grenell on Thursday. Grenell then responded with a letter in which he admonished Whitehouse for relying on “inaccurate gossip” and “partisan reporters” to come to his conclusions, adding that the senator did not “undergo basic fact-checking.”

Accusing the Kennedy Center under President Donald Trump’s administration of “steeply discounted event rentals for well-funded political allies like NewsNation” and extravagant spending on newly hired staff, Whitehouse presented documents he claims substantiate his allegations.

Grenell, in his letter, went on to provide a line-by-line account of the Kennedy Center’s budgetary improvements. The performing arts center’s president also noted a dramatic reduction-in-force within his development department, cutting staff from 94 to 16.

In response to Whitehouse’s claim NewsNation was given a preferential rate as a supposed Trump ally, Grenell noted their Kennedy Center event featured “Chris Cuomo, John Fetterman, and Stephen A. Smith,” none of whom are Republicans or Trump voters