…Sen. #SheldonWhitehouse (D-Rhode Island) told The Post that he became an ex officio member this year after he became the lead #Democrat on the #Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works — another ex officio seat designated by #Congress — but was not ever invited to board meetings until his committee began investigating the #KennedyCenter last month.
#Trump #law #history #landmark #preservation #memorial #JFK #SevenMountainMandate
…foreign diplomats said they were stunned by what they described as “nasty” & “very personal” threats made by #State Department officials, which were mostly aimed at leaders from poorer or small countries that are economically dependent on the #UnitedStates. Some of the delegations were summoned to the #US Embassy in London for these discussions, these people said.
…“It was like a bunch of gangsters coming into the neighborhood & smashing windows and threatening shop owners,” said Senator #SheldonWhitehouse, #Democrat of Rhode Island, who was briefed on the events by negotiators who were directly involved. Mr. Whitehouse called the Trump administration’s strategy a “shock-and-awe thuggery approach.”
