Daniel Wolfram
A small company was given nearly $50,000 in a no-bid contract for a rush job that included four chandaliers.
There have been numerous reports about alleged corruption happening inside the White House, from no-bid contracts to Pentagon loans to Trump family members.
Here is another one: This time it is about four ornamental lighting devices that needed to be installed quickly in the White House before an event.
A small company was selected without any bids and was paid a lot of money for it.
A rush job
In early June, panic hit the West Wing. Four fancy chandeliers needed to be mounted into the ceilings immediately across the executive complex.
Officials completely brushed aside standard bidding rules in order to meet the deadline. “In this particular case, the environment of the 250th anniversary, the birthday, and other events [redacted].”
According to the paperwork reviewed by the Washington Sun, it was made clear that the job needed to be done sooner rather than later. “This must happen over the weekend as these must be in place before the June anniversary events.”
Trump’s birthday
The timing was interesting. President Donald Trump turned 80 that Sunday, June 14, which coincided with his planned UFC fight event on the White House lawn.
The documents show that the General Services Administration handed the contract to Agile1Tech, a Virginia builder that had “recently completed the contract which created the UFC viewing/gaming room.”
“Given the urgency and the unique structures in the ceilings of the White House, Agile1Tech is the contractor identified to meet this urgent need,” the administration argued.
A fragile White House roof
The administration further explained that “Agile1Tech is familiar with how to brace these chandeliers in a structure that may not support such weight.” Government researchers decided other vendors lacked the skill to handle fragile historic plaster.
Weight concerns have flared up before. Republican pundit Scott Jennings noted in a book that staff previously talked Trump out of installing a chandelier in the Oval Office because of weak framing.
The chandelier deal quickly expanded. Agile1Tech first billed $22,000, but the total grew by $27,600 for an “additional 3 chandeliers.”
No-bid contracts have become routine under Trump’s second term. Major no-bid contracts have been given to projects regarding the overhaul of the White House.
