Nov 11, 5:00 AM
Kennedy Family Joins Lawsuits to Halt Monument Project in Washington
Relatives of former president file motion over proposed 76-meter arch near Arlington National Cemetery
Nine members of the Kennedy family filed a legal motion on Tuesday to block the construction of a proposed 76-meter triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs joined existing federal lawsuits against the administration of US President Donald Trump, arguing that the structure would obstruct views of family gravesites and the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery.
The filing was prepared by Washington attorney Norm Eisen and the legal advocacy group Democracy Defenders Fund. According to the plaintiffs, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service granted authorization for the granite monument without required congressional approval. The legal complaint states that the project would disrupt the century-old vista connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington House across the Memorial Bridge.
The intervening plaintiffs include nine children and grandchildren of the late Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy. Their filing joins actions already initiated by the District of Columbia, the state of Virginia, Arlington County, historical preservationists, and military veterans. Last week, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary order halting ground-breaking activities on the site for 14 days while the court reviews the challenges.
In a joint statement, family members Rory Kennedy and Maxwell Kennedy said the legal action was aimed at preserving public historical grounds where more than 400,000 veterans and family members are buried. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not join the legal action. The case proceeds following recent midterm elections that shifted control of Congress to Democrats, opening potential legislative reviews of federal capital projects.
Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com
