Surprise: All U.S. Taxpayers, Not Just Illinoisans, Will Cover Most Of The Public Funding For Obama Center Fiasco In Chicago – Wirepoints Original

By: Mark Glennon*

Only now has it become apparent that federal taxpayers, not Illinois taxpayers, will be funding most of the public support for the controversial Obama Center to be built on Chicago’s Southside.

Wirepoints has learned from administrative officials and legislators that at least $139 million — 80% of the public funding for the center — almost certainly will be reimbursed by the federal government. The project was already under attack for a number of other reasons, including a First Amendment “compelled speech” claim that it would force taxpayers to fund private, political advocacy.

The center was initially pitched as a privately funded presidential library. Many Illinois taxpayers therefore were angered to learn that at least $174 million was included in the state’s 1,246-page budget presented in May to rank and file General Assembly members only hours before their vote. Nor will the center be a presidential library.

However, it turns out that federal taxpayers will be the ones compelled to make the subsidy. The Illinois appropriation is for roadway and transit reconfigurations needed to accommodate the center, and 80% of such spending is generally reimbursable by the federal government. Wirepoints has confirmed with state officials that federal reimbursement of at least $139 million is highly likely.

Stoking the controversy is the stated mission of the center, which is partly political. The Original Request for Proposals said the center would “enhance the pursuit of [President Obama’s] initiatives beyond 2017.” Former President Obama has further commented to the same effect. As the Chicago Tribune put it, “As he’s long maintained, Obama said he envisions his center as a place where young people from around the world can meet each other, get training and prepare to become the next generation of leaders.”

The center is already subject to a federal lawsuit with a First Amendment claim based on taxpayer support for a private, political purpose. A lawsuit of that type is difficult to win, but it may be bolstered by the recent Janus decision by the United States Supreme Court. Janus, which barred compulsory public union membership, was based on the prohibition of compelled speech, and that same doctrine underpins the First Amendment claim about the center.

Here are the details and background:

Contrary to its clear, initial description as a presidential library, it won’t be one. The center will be owned and run by the Obama Foundation, not the National Archives and Records Administration, as are presidential libraries. Obama’s records, artifacts and papers will not be there.

Initial claims that it would be funded entirely with private money also evaporated. “Construction and maintenance will be funded by private donations, and no taxpayer money will go to the foundation,” the foundation’s spokeswoman said. The interpretation was that assured 100 percent private funding. “The Obama Presidential Center will rip off the band-aid, removing government from what it has no business paying for,” wrote Politico.

Obama Center rendering, to be built on part of Jackson Park

WTTW, a public television station in Chicago, asked the obvious question when the idea of state funding first floated: “How could a public financing proposal fly in a state that is bleeding red ink, especially when the Obamas have promised 100 percent private funding?”

That’s easy to answer in Illinois. Chicago politicians asked for it and they get what they want. “Another fast one by Chicago pols,” as one Illinois paper put it. “To give credit where credit is due, when Chicago/Illinois politicians come together on a scheme to fleece the public and demonstrate that they are a law unto themselves, they think big.”

The federal lawsuit was filed by Protect our Parks, a not-for-profit. It alleges that the transfer of land from Chicago’s Jackson Park to the Obama Foundation, at no cost, violated state law a number of ways. It was a “bait and switch,” the legal complaint says. The land was transferred under the pretense of being a privately funded presidential library but in fact will be used for a private purpose.

The First Amendment claim in the lawsuit is particularly interesting. The suit was filed prior to Illinois’ appropriation of money for the center. The claim is based, instead, on authorization for a special property tax levy for the center. Using any source of taxpayer money for a private political purpose may violate the First Amendment because it is compelled speech.

But now, with the state appropriation completed and federal reimbursement uncovered, much more money is at issue and it’s a matter for all Americans.

And just last week the United States Supreme Court delivered the Janus opinion, which was particularly firm on the prohibition of compelled speech. From the majority opinion:

Forcing free and independent individuals to endorse ideas they find objectionable is always demeaning, and for this reason, one of our land­ mark free speech cases said that a law commanding “in­ voluntary affirmation” of objected-to beliefs would require “even more immediate and urgent grounds” than a law demanding silence.

“Compelling a person to subsidize the speech of other private speakers raises similar First Amendment con­cerns,” added the court. That’s what’s alleged in the lawsuit against the Obama Foundation — forcing taxpayers to subsidize the a center to be used to preach Obama’s politics.

Jackson Park today

It’s conceivable federal reimbursement will not materialize. Illinois could elect to pay towards the center though a bond offering, in which case, we are told by state officials, reimbursement is not available. The state could also essentially elect to use its access to federal reimbursement for other projects. Again, however, those possibilities are not anticipated, according to our sources, and federal reimbursement is fully expected.

Indeed, when a few Republican lawmakers objected to inclusion of funding for the center in the budget, they were told by party leadership not to be concerned because of the federal reimbursement. Illinois Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) told me this: “During the budget discussion, when objections were raised about spending $172 million on infrastructure improvements for the Obama project, we were assured by Republican leadership not to worry since 80 percent of the cost would be picked up by the federal government.”

Some may argue that spending for roadway and transit reconfiguration isn’t really part of the project. That’s specious. The spending is necessitated entirely by the project. It’s part and parcel of the center.

The precise amount of taxpayer money to go towards the Obama Center is subject to some interpretation and dispute, though it’s at least $174 million. A specific appropriation for $180 million is in Section 105 on page 664 of the new Illinois budget, though we are told the current cost estimate is just $174. Another $12 million is appropriated in Section 100 on that page for a transit station, though there’s some opinion that the station is separate from the center. Together with other transit station money, the Washington Examiner pegged the grand total Illinois appropriation at $224 million. Accordingly, the 80% reimbursed by federal taxpayers may be significantly higher than $139 million.

That difference in the numbers matters little.

Nor does it matter whether the First Amendment claim is truly viable in court.

What matters is that funding by any taxpayers for the center is wrong and the public has been duped. A privately funded presidential library morphed into a publicly funded monument to hubris and the arrogance of power: Obamaland.

*Mark Glennon is founder and executive editor of Wirepoints.

 

 

 

11 Comments
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Pascal
5 years ago

The federal lawsuit to stop the Obama Foundation from grabbing the land in a public park is not primarily about First Amendment rights, it’s much more substantial, beginning with the case the plaintiffs make concerning the transfer of the land from the Park District to the City of Chicago.
The “shell game” maneuver to divert a public resource to the profit of a private entity is illegal under Illinois and Federal laws. That is by far the main point of the lawsuit. Additionally it could also be claimed that taxpayers should not have to pay to support partisan political operations

Dorothy
5 years ago

past Presidents have raised money for the museums. We’ve learned about alhis criminal activity and we should not spend a dime towards anything he wants. I’m praying our DOJ well bring charges against obama, Hillary and the rest of the swamp. If they don’t there will be a lot of angry citizens. NOW WOULD BE GOOD!

Diana Talmadge
5 years ago

disgusting!

Phyllis
5 years ago

No that not fair I don’t want to fund anything Obama has going on!!!

Illinois Entrepreneur
5 years ago

There isn’t a sunrise that occurs where these “progressives” aren’t looking for ways to spend other people’s money for their causes. They learned long ago that there just isn’t enough private interest in funding their boondoggles so they have to promise government favors funded by taxpayers in order to build anything. They also know that they can’t be honest about their funding mechanisms, so this is par for the course. Nice reporting, would there be anything we can do about it. This is Illinois, after all. It’s too bad that Illinois Republicans have given up, as well. I remember Jeanne… Read more »

pid
5 years ago

One of the very articles you reference explains that taxpayers pay about $65 million a YEAR to operate each presidential library. That is the annual cost separate from construction fees. By opening up the center this way, the Obama center will in the end save taxpayer money. You have shown in the past that you are a bitter racist. It’s clear that’s where your real problem lies.

Jake
5 years ago
Reply to  pid

Presidential libraries are repositories of a president’s papers and information on his life and time in office, not an establishment to fund world-wide community organizers, with a progressive bent.

What else can you expect from a man like Obama, who said, “You didn’t build that?” He isn’t building this; it isn’t a presidential library; it stole ground from the people and their park; and the Obama Foundation lied.

And you… you have no relationship with facts.

Bob Out of Here
5 years ago
Reply to  pid

What’s racist is using union labor to build the center and the roads. pid, I’ll ask you 2 questions.On the last union staffed construction site when was the last time you saw a person of color doing the work? And if you did, was that person giving orders or taking them? They are all built by white Irishmen from Bridgeport.

nixit
5 years ago

You’ve touched the third rail of progressive politics: the trade unions treatment of minorities. Since no one in JB’s camp will touch the subject, ask the black community how the trades have treated them over the decades. Then show them all the rich white men who head the trade unions.

Of course, they’ll say you’re just trying to divide and conquer, even though you’re only pointing out the inconvenient truth: they’re already divided.

dip
5 years ago

This is nothing more than an indoctrination site which most Illinoisans do not want. You can put a digital library in a porta potty so people can look at it while they Sh$$$$

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