The National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve President Trump’s ballroom design despite a public comment period that requested changes to the project, including reducing the structure’s size.
Two commissioners voted present and one, a Democrat, voted no. The rest voted yes, giving the project the seal of approval.
Critics claim the NCPC rushed the process but Chairman Will Scharf, who also serves as Trump’s staff secretary, defended the commission’s work, pointing to the review process and public comment period, arguing the commission could have simply approved the project without any input from the public.
“Everyone who wanted to be heard on this project was heard,” he said, adding he read every public comment submitted. “That has not been a simple or quick task, but as chairman I thought it was my duty.”
A federal court recently ordered construction halted because of a lawsuit but Scharf said that decision did not apply to the commission’s work and went forward with the vote.
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