A judge in Washington, D.C., has dismissed a breach of contract lawsuit filed against musician Chuck Redd, who canceled a Christmas Eve performance at the Kennedy Center in protest of President Donald Trump’s influence over the venue. The dismissal, granted on Friday under the District’s Anti-SLAPP laws, prevents meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing viewpoints on matters of public interest.
Background of the Case
Redd, a renowned drummer and vibraphonist who has performed with jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Brown, had hosted holiday “Jazz Jams” at the Kennedy Center since 2006. He called off last year’s performance shortly after Trump’s handpicked board voted to add the president’s name to the facility.
Legal Arguments
Lisa J. Banks, one of Redd’s attorneys, stated: “The Center sued Mr. Redd because he publicly and rightly objected to adding Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center, a living memorial to former President John F. Kennedy. The lawsuit against Mr. Redd was political retribution, pure and simple, by the Trump Kennedy Center, and the Court correctly saw it as such in dismissing the case with prejudice.”
The motion to dismiss, filed in March, argued that Redd was not contractually obligated to perform, noting that the contract provided by the Kennedy Center was never signed by the artist.
Redd’s Response
In an email to The Associated Press on Saturday morning, Redd expressed satisfaction with the judge’s ruling, saying he is “very pleased” with the outcome.
Kennedy Center’s Silence
Representatives for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the dismissal of the lawsuit.
