A judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay musician Chuck Redd more than $250,000 to cover attorney fees and other costs after he canceled his annual performance there. Redd, a jazz musician who had performed at the center's Christmas Eve show for nearly two decades, pulled out of his scheduled appearance in December.
Redd's cancellation was in protest of the center being renamed after President Donald Trump. His attorneys stated that the judgment was appropriate, asserting that "no citizen should have to spend time and money fending off baseless and politically motivated lawsuits filed by the Trump Administration."
The Kennedy Center, which had attempted to sue Redd earlier this year for breach of contract, plans to appeal the ruling. That lawsuit was dismissed in June, with Redd's attorneys noting it was thrown out under Washington D.C.'s Anti-SLAPP Law. This law protects individuals from lawsuits intended to intimidate them for expressing opposing viewpoints.
Prior to the lawsuit, Richard Grenell, the center's former president, had reportedly written to Redd stating the center would seek $1 million in damages for what he called a "political stunt," despite Redd not having a signed contract.
The renaming of the center followed what the notes describe as a "hostile takeover" by Trump, who stated his motivation was to end "anti-American propaganda" at the venue, specifically citing drag shows. Other artists and groups, including composer Phillip Glass, the Washington National Opera, and the musicals "Hamilton" and "Les Misérables," also canceled performances following the incident.
Trump's actions also included firing the center's board chair and removing several trustees. The president announced the renaming in December, followed months later by an announcement that the venue would close for approximately two years for renovations. Both the renaming and the planned renovations have reportedly been blocked in court.