berg80
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- Oct 28, 2017
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President Donald Trump has called for investigations into perceived political enemies he accuses of cost overruns and mismanagement. But the price tags on two of his own signature projects have skyrocketed.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation, which Trump said last month would cost roughly $2 million, has ballooned to $13 million, according to a federal contracting record first reported by The New York Times. The cost of Trump’s planned White House ballroom addition was estimated at $200 million when Trump announced it last summer. Trump said it would be paid for solely through private donations. The cost has since soared to $400 million, with Republicans in Congress weighing a request for an additional $220 million in taxpayer funding for security upgrades for the new construction within a broader $1 billion funding request for security upgrades across the White House complex.
The increases rival, in percentage terms, the cost overruns Trump has cited in calling for investigations into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro recently dropped her federal criminal inquiry into Powell after a district judge said prosecutors had produced “essentially zero evidence” in the case. Trump, who has clashed with Powell over his reluctance to reduce interest rates, said the Fed’s cost overruns were “sort of” a fireable offense — though federal law requires specific justification to remove a sitting chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
www.ms.now
I'm shocked, shocked I say that cost overruns have occurred.
For a guy who touts himself as an experienced builder the under estimates of constructions costs for the ballroom and reflecting pool are quite stunning. Cuz they weren't off by a little.
Given the amount of time Don has devoted to the ballroom (does he ever stop talking about it?) one would think cost estimates would not have increased by a factor of 5x.
Someone should really look in to this. With the charges against Powell having been dropped maybe Jeanine has some extra time.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation, which Trump said last month would cost roughly $2 million, has ballooned to $13 million, according to a federal contracting record first reported by The New York Times. The cost of Trump’s planned White House ballroom addition was estimated at $200 million when Trump announced it last summer. Trump said it would be paid for solely through private donations. The cost has since soared to $400 million, with Republicans in Congress weighing a request for an additional $220 million in taxpayer funding for security upgrades for the new construction within a broader $1 billion funding request for security upgrades across the White House complex.
The increases rival, in percentage terms, the cost overruns Trump has cited in calling for investigations into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro recently dropped her federal criminal inquiry into Powell after a district judge said prosecutors had produced “essentially zero evidence” in the case. Trump, who has clashed with Powell over his reluctance to reduce interest rates, said the Fed’s cost overruns were “sort of” a fireable offense — though federal law requires specific justification to remove a sitting chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Trump attacked his foes for rising project costs. Now he’s dismissing the price of his own
As costs mount on two of his signature projects, the president has struggled to explain why the same standard he has applied to his adversaries should not apply to him.
www.ms.now
I'm shocked, shocked I say that cost overruns have occurred.
For a guy who touts himself as an experienced builder the under estimates of constructions costs for the ballroom and reflecting pool are quite stunning. Cuz they weren't off by a little.
Given the amount of time Don has devoted to the ballroom (does he ever stop talking about it?) one would think cost estimates would not have increased by a factor of 5x.
Someone should really look in to this. With the charges against Powell having been dropped maybe Jeanine has some extra time.
