White House planned to start Triumphal Arch work under unrelated contract: Washington Post
Officials sought to use an existing White House engineering contract to speed environmental testing for the 250-foot arch, bypassing competitive bidding, documents show.
- The Trump administration sought to bypass competitive bidding for the proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch by leveraging an existing engineering contract with AECOM Services, according to newly revealed emails obtained by The Washington Post.
- Park Service acting director Jessica Bowron requested to extend a White House contract on April 22 to expedite environmental assessments, and Executive Office official Heather Martin approved the request within an hour.
- Heavy machinery arrived at the site Monday, though National Academy of Public Administration board chair Stan Soloway called extending the contract to a site miles away "a real stretch."
- Contracting attorney Alan Chvotkin warned, "You lose the benefits of competition, pricing and transparency." This continues a 15-month pattern of Trump skirting construction norms, including demolishing the White House East Wing.
- The Commission on Fine Arts approved the design despite receiving approximately 1,000 public comments in opposition, while Vietnam War veterans have sued over the monument's impact on Arlington National Cemetery views.
6 Articles
6 Articles
Trump tries to push through his arch with contract paperwork switch: internal emails
In an apparent effort to speed construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch, reports the Washington Post, his administration attempted to attach the project to an unrelated contract for engineering services at the White House more than a mile away. Experts say this action is notable for two reasons besides distance and location. First, because the arch site is on National Park Service land across the Potomac River and is not …
White House exploits loophole to skip rules — and fast-track Trump's vanity arch
The Trump administration sought to sidestep federal contracting rules to fast-track work on the president's proposed Triumphal Arch by piggybacking on an existing contract to avoid a public bidding process, according to newly revealed documents.The Washington Post obtained emails showing the Trump a...
Trump Moved to Bypass Bidding on Triumphal Arch Work
“The Trump administration planned to start work at the site of the president’s proposed Triumphal Arch by piggybacking on an existing, unrelated contract for engineering services at the White House grounds more than a mile away,” the Washington Post reports. “The move would allow the administration to bypass a potentially lengthy public bidding process, and experts said it was unusual because the arch site is on National Park Service land across…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 83% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
