President Donald Trump signed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act which allocates $25 million in a taxpayer funded bailout for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Not long after that bill was signed, the Kennedy Center then announced to musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra that their last paycheck will be on April 3.
There are almost 100 musicians affected by this who will not be paid after April 3. This information comes from a leaked email, per a report on Free Beacon.
The email stated:
“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.”
Bill McMorris reported that the aforementioned email was delivered to musicians/members on Friday night, only hours after Trump signed the CARES Act, in which remarks were even made according to the White House.
Many critics consider the Kennedy Center to be acting in a shameful manner after they were allocated the $25 million to be used for relief purposes, but then announced they would no longer pay the musicians.
To make matters worse, the musicians who were told they’re not being paid after April 3 also risk losing their health insurance at a time when it appears to be most needed.
The Kennedy Center is being touted as acting inappropriately towards the musicians despite getting the money designated to help in situations like this.
Furthermore, the Kennedy Center also told musicians that “everyone should proceed as if their last paycheck will be April 3… We understand this will come [as a] shock to all of you, as it did to us.”
Free Beacon reached out to the Kennedy Center for a comment on the distasteful announcement, but have not yet heard back.
A rumor has circulated on Twitter that the Kennedy Center has also donated several million to the DNC, but there is no evidence of that in any news outlet or statements on social media.