After President Donald Trump suddenly tore down the East Wing of the White House, Republican Representative Mike Turner appeared to be among the few allied lawmakers to privately express concerns about the legality of the demolition.
Days after the demolition began in October, Turner sent a letter to the White House expressing “substantial concerns,” according to the letter, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Public Citizen and provided to the Washington Post.
“The stark images of the East Wing demolished in mere days were disturbing to Americans who cherish preservation of our nation’s history,” Turner, the co-chair of the congressional Historic Preservation Caucus, wrote to White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf.
Trump tapped Scharf to lead the National Capital Planning Commission, the group tasked with approving construction projects in the nation’s capital.
Turner reportedly asked about the oversight and transparency that went into the demolition and whether the White House took steps to preserve artifacts.
The Independent has asked Turner’s office for comment.
Scharf responded to Turner more than seven weeks after his initial letter, claiming the administration did not need approval from the commission to begin demolition because the National Capital Planning Commission reviews “vertical” construction.
The administration has used the same argument to justify the East Wing demolition.
The new report about Turner’s letter reveals that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were concerned about Trump’s sudden demolition of the East Wing to make room for his new $400 million White House ballroom.
Democrats vocally decried the administration at the time of the demolition, using social media and direct correspondence to express concern about the legality of the construction project.
In a similar but separate October letter, a group of Democrats urged the White House to stop the demolition of the East Wing, claiming it violated the White House Preservation Act.
But fewer Republicans have been outspoken about the new construction project.
Since reclaiming the White House last year, Trump has imposed his personal style on the White House: adding gold embellishments to the Oval Office, an opinionated presidential “Wall of Fame,” a Mar-a-Lago-style patio and taller flagpoles to the White House lawn.
The new White House ballroom is expected to be a massive addition to the People’s House, capable of holding up to 1,000 guests for state dinners and other large events. Trump has said the space is necessary for hosting large events.
But the project has been heavily scrutinized for its quick implementation and high costs – jumping from an initial $200 million estimate to $400 million. The administration has been tight-lipped about the list of individual and commercial donors who are helping the president pay for the new space.
Public Citizen has sued the administration for not complying with FOIA requests that aim to improve transparency about the ballroom project.
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