Judge finds Kennedy Center owes musician $250,000 in legal fees

A judge in Washington, D.C., dismissed the center’s suit against Chuck Redd for canceling a concert after the president’s name was added to the facade.

WASHINGTON — A judge ordered the Kennedy Center to pay $250,000 in legal fees to musician Chuck Redd, whom the arts center sued for canceling a Christmas Eve concert after President Donald Trump’s name was added to the building’s facade.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier dismissed the case in June, finding conditions of unlawful retaliation against Redd.

Musician Chuck Redd.Robert Severi / Courtesy Chuck ReddIn an order Monday, Bosier said she made a “good faith evaluation of records to exclude hours that are arguably duplicative, excessive, or unnecessary” and found that the Kennedy Center owes Redd $252,479.70 for the legal fees he has accrued, to be paid within 45 days.

A Kennedy Center spokesperson said the organization intends to appeal.

Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, said in a statement that the “Trump-controlled Kennedy Center tried to silence opposition to its illegal name change by filing a meritless lawsuit.”