Trump’s D.C.-area arch approved by federal planning commission as court battle looms

The National Capital Planning Commission voted Thursday to approve President Donald Trump’s massive — and controversial — “Triumphal Arch” for Washington, D.C., with construction scheduled to begin almost immediately.

The commission, led by Trump appointees, gave the project a green light after a hearing in which scores of area residents lined up to voice their opposition to the project, which would sit in Memorial Circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

Mark Paoletta, the Office of Management and Budget general counsel who was appointed chairman of the commission in August, said in remarks at the meeting that it was a “national disgrace” that such a memorial had not already been built and praised Trump’s “monumental vision.”

He said it would be “the grandest arch ever built by mankind.”

The virtual meeting was interrupted at one point for around 30 minutes during public comments by what Paoletta said was a “malicious attack” that caused the site to crash. He said it’s the “first time this has ever happened.”

Close to 130 members of the public were signed up to speak.

“We’ll have this thing done, whether it’s past midnight or not,” Paoletta said after the interruption.

Opponents of the…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/sports