• Obama DEI Library Falling Apart.

    From John Smyth@21:1/5 to All on Wed Feb 19 12:28:23 2025
    XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, talk.politics.guns XPost: misc.immigration.usa

    When you hire based upon race, color, DEI bullshit, instead of based
    upon merit and qualifications you get what you deserve.

    'Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M racially charged suit, ballooning costs
    The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the
    project because of race'

    <https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei-initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit>


    'Construction of former President Barack Obama's long-awaited library
    and museum in Chicago began with ambitious plans for diversity, equity
    and inclusion (DEI) but is now plagued by huge cost overruns, delays and
    a $40.75-million, racially charged lawsuit filed by a minority
    contractor.

    From the outset, the endeavor touted DEI as a key part of enshrining
    Obama's legacy at the 19.3-acre site, where costs have ballooned from an initial $350 million to $830 million in 2021 based on its previous
    annual reports, with no publicly available figures available for updated projected costs. The project set out "ambitious goals" for certain
    construction diversity quotas, with its contracts to be allocated to
    "diverse suppliers," 35% of which were required to be minority-based enterprises (MBEs).

    "With these aggressive goals, the foundation is hoping to set a new
    precedent for diversity and inclusion in major construction projects in
    Chicago and beyond," the Obama Foundation wrote in a 2017 press
    release.'

    'The importance of DEI was cited on several occasions in an explosive
    lawsuit filed last month by Robert McGee, the Black co-owner of II in
    One Construction. The firm is a minority-owned business subcontractor
    that provided concrete and rebar services for the center.

    It is not clear what role DEI quotas played in the hiring of II In One
    as a subcontractor. II In One was one of three firms that made up a
    joint venture called Concrete Collective. The other firms included
    another minority firm called Trice Construction Company along with W.E. O’Neil. Together they formed a 51% minority-led joint-venture team.

    McGee alleged that he and his firm were racially discriminated against
    by Thornton Tomasetti, a New York-based company that oversees structural engineering and design services.

    In the lawsuit, McGee claims that Thornton Tomasetti changed standards
    and imposed new rules around rebar spacing and tolerance requirements
    that differed from the American Concrete Institute standards. The suit
    claims these changes resulted in his firm running up massive overruns in
    excess of $40 million, which put it on the verge of bankruptcy.

    McGee's lawsuit stems from a memorandum Thornton Tomasetti wrote to the project’s leading construction partners about a year ago claiming that
    II in One — and the contracting firm it teamed up with on the project — were responsible for numerous challenges during the project.

    The memorandum contained images of cracked slabs and exposed rebar to
    support its claims. Thornton Tomasetti said it spent hundreds of hours reviewing, analyzing, re-designing, and responding to corrective work
    and that subcontractors caused "a multitude of problems in the field."

    "The construction issues were all unequivocally driven by the
    underperformance and inexperience of the concrete subcontractor," the memorandum states.

    Thornton Tomasetti said the challenges with the concrete were due solely
    to the subcontractors and wrote that it "cannot stand by while
    contractors attempt to blame their own shortcomings on the design team."

    The memo goes on to state that Thornton Tomasetti and an architectural
    firm, "bent over backwards to assist what everyone knows was a
    questionably qualified subcontractor team in areas where a more
    qualified subcontractor would not have required it."

    The Obama Presidential Center
    The Obama Presidential Center pictured this week. (Fox News)

    That memorandum served as the basis of McGee’s lawsuit last month, as he alleges it contained "baseless criticisms and defamatory and
    discriminatory accusations."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti undermined the project’s
    diversity and inclusion goals, which were outlined in the project's
    general contract. The lawsuit also cites a DEI report by the project's construction manager in 2022, which outlines the project as "achieving significant diverse business participation." A report breaking down the demographics of those involved in the project was also released in
    April.

    The suit claims the plaintiffs were "subjected to unjustified and discriminatory conduct… which directly undermined the Obama Foundation’s DEI goals and commitments, and mission to bring transformative change to
    the construction industry and local community by providing solutions to barriers that have historically prevented disadvantaged businesses from participating on projects of this magnitude."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti violated the Civil Rights Act
    of 1866 and that its alleged "defamatory and discriminatory statements
    and actions," caused II in One, Bob McGee and the other subcontractors
    to suffer extreme financial losses and potential bankruptcy.

    The suit alleges that Thornton Tomasetti discriminated against II In One
    "on the basis of race."

    McGee claims Thornton Tomasetti falsely accused II in One of lacking
    sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, while
    stating in the memo that non-minority-owned contractors were
    sufficiently qualified.

    The lawsuit also claims the Obama Foundation relied on Thornton
    Tomasetti’s memo for not paying the subcontracting firms around $40.75 million for "additional costs incurred" at the site near Jackson Park in Chicago.

    McGee's lawsuit refutes the allegations in Thornton Tomasetti's memo
    that his firm was inexperienced or questionably qualified, pointing to
    II in One’s 40-year track record in the industry and its completion of
    major Chicagoland projects, including Millennium Park, Harold Washington Cultural Center, and the American Airlines terminal at O’Hare Airport.

    Cracks in concrete
    In a memo, Thornton Tomasetti shared images of cracked slab and exposed
    rebar. (Lawsuit)

    "Moreover, Bob McGee was aware and supportive of the Obama Foundation’s diversity and inclusion goals for the project and never imagined that
    the Obama Foundation’s structural engineer would single out a
    minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism and falsely accuse II
    in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and experience to perform
    its work, while, in the same letter, stating that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified," the memo reads.

    "In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American
    owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company on
    the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by the
    structural engineer," the lawsuit reads. "II in One and its joint
    venture partners … was subjected to baseless criticisms and defamatory
    and discriminatory accusations by the Obama Foundation’s structural
    engineer, Thornton Tomasetti."

    The Obama Foundation said it is not a party to this lawsuit, and
    insisted that it will not cause any delays in the concrete work, which
    it says has already been largely completed.

    "If the Foundation believed that any vendor was acting with a racist
    intent, we would immediately take appropriate action," Emily Bittner,
    the vice president of communications at the Obama Foundation, told Fox
    News Digital in a statement recently. The foundation has not responded
    to requests for information on the updated cost of the project.

    The Obama Presidential Center aims to honor the political career of
    former President Barack Obama. It will consist of a museum, a library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized NBA court. It
    will also house the nonprofit Obama Foundation, which is overseeing the center’s development.

    OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR FILES $40M DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ENGINEERING FIRM FOR OVERRUNS

    WATCH: Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026

    Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026Video
    CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE BEING DISPLACED BY OBAMA
    CENTER: CAUSING 'HARM TO BLACK FAMILIES'

    The project has faced problems in the past. Construction was initially anticipated to begin in 2018, but it was delayed until 2021. It is
    scheduled to open sometime in 2026.

    Some community activists claim the new center will cause prices for
    homes and rent to increase and may price out many of those who live in
    the area. Environmental activists have also been critical of the
    project, arguing that it would remove too many trees and destroy some
    bird habitats.

    Activists threatened to sue to block developments, but the plan to build
    the center was approved shortly after a lawsuit was filed, according to Newsweek. The Supreme Court denied the request to hear the case in 2021.

    Pritzker and the Obamas
    Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joins former President Barack Obama and
    former first lady Michelle Obama in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the
    Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Sept. 28, 2021, in Chicago.
    (Scott Olson/Getty Images)




    Representatives for II in One declined to comment. Fox News Digital also contacted representatives for Thornton Tomasetti for comment.

    Court documents show that on Jan. 31, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. and Scott
    A. Schneider, a senior principal and structural engineer at the firm,
    filed for an extension of time to answer the complaint. The court
    extended the deadline for their answer to March 5, 2025

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ace@21:1/5 to All on Wed Feb 19 20:19:20 2025
    XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, talk.politics.guns
    XPost: misc.immigration.usa

    When you hire based upon race, color, DEI bullshit, instead of based
    upon merit and qualifications you get what you deserve.

    Trump's DEI programs are a big failure in Canada.


    Did you hear about the millions that were stolen from the Trump library fund?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From pothead@21:1/5 to John Smyth on Thu Feb 20 01:14:24 2025
    XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, talk.politics.guns XPost: misc.immigration.usa

    On 2025-02-19, John Smyth <smythlejon2@hotmail.com> wrote:
    When you hire based upon race, color, DEI bullshit, instead of based
    upon merit and qualifications you get what you deserve.

    'Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M racially charged suit, ballooning costs
    The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the
    project because of race'

    <https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei-initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit>


    'Construction of former President Barack Obama's long-awaited library
    and museum in Chicago began with ambitious plans for diversity, equity
    and inclusion (DEI) but is now plagued by huge cost overruns, delays and
    a $40.75-million, racially charged lawsuit filed by a minority
    contractor.

    From the outset, the endeavor touted DEI as a key part of enshrining
    Obama's legacy at the 19.3-acre site, where costs have ballooned from an initial $350 million to $830 million in 2021 based on its previous
    annual reports, with no publicly available figures available for updated projected costs. The project set out "ambitious goals" for certain construction diversity quotas, with its contracts to be allocated to
    "diverse suppliers," 35% of which were required to be minority-based enterprises (MBEs).

    "With these aggressive goals, the foundation is hoping to set a new
    precedent for diversity and inclusion in major construction projects in Chicago and beyond," the Obama Foundation wrote in a 2017 press
    release.'

    'The importance of DEI was cited on several occasions in an explosive
    lawsuit filed last month by Robert McGee, the Black co-owner of II in
    One Construction. The firm is a minority-owned business subcontractor
    that provided concrete and rebar services for the center.

    It is not clear what role DEI quotas played in the hiring of II In One
    as a subcontractor. II In One was one of three firms that made up a
    joint venture called Concrete Collective. The other firms included
    another minority firm called Trice Construction Company along with W.E. O’Neil. Together they formed a 51% minority-led joint-venture team.

    McGee alleged that he and his firm were racially discriminated against
    by Thornton Tomasetti, a New York-based company that oversees structural engineering and design services.

    In the lawsuit, McGee claims that Thornton Tomasetti changed standards
    and imposed new rules around rebar spacing and tolerance requirements
    that differed from the American Concrete Institute standards. The suit
    claims these changes resulted in his firm running up massive overruns in excess of $40 million, which put it on the verge of bankruptcy.

    McGee's lawsuit stems from a memorandum Thornton Tomasetti wrote to the project’s leading construction partners about a year ago claiming that
    II in One — and the contracting firm it teamed up with on the project — were responsible for numerous challenges during the project.

    The memorandum contained images of cracked slabs and exposed rebar to
    support its claims. Thornton Tomasetti said it spent hundreds of hours reviewing, analyzing, re-designing, and responding to corrective work
    and that subcontractors caused "a multitude of problems in the field."

    "The construction issues were all unequivocally driven by the underperformance and inexperience of the concrete subcontractor," the memorandum states.

    Thornton Tomasetti said the challenges with the concrete were due solely
    to the subcontractors and wrote that it "cannot stand by while
    contractors attempt to blame their own shortcomings on the design team."

    The memo goes on to state that Thornton Tomasetti and an architectural
    firm, "bent over backwards to assist what everyone knows was a
    questionably qualified subcontractor team in areas where a more
    qualified subcontractor would not have required it."

    The Obama Presidential Center
    The Obama Presidential Center pictured this week. (Fox News)

    That memorandum served as the basis of McGee’s lawsuit last month, as he alleges it contained "baseless criticisms and defamatory and
    discriminatory accusations."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti undermined the project’s diversity and inclusion goals, which were outlined in the project's
    general contract. The lawsuit also cites a DEI report by the project's construction manager in 2022, which outlines the project as "achieving significant diverse business participation." A report breaking down the demographics of those involved in the project was also released in
    April.

    The suit claims the plaintiffs were "subjected to unjustified and discriminatory conduct… which directly undermined the Obama Foundation’s DEI goals and commitments, and mission to bring transformative change to
    the construction industry and local community by providing solutions to barriers that have historically prevented disadvantaged businesses from participating on projects of this magnitude."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti violated the Civil Rights Act
    of 1866 and that its alleged "defamatory and discriminatory statements
    and actions," caused II in One, Bob McGee and the other subcontractors
    to suffer extreme financial losses and potential bankruptcy.

    The suit alleges that Thornton Tomasetti discriminated against II In One
    "on the basis of race."

    McGee claims Thornton Tomasetti falsely accused II in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, while
    stating in the memo that non-minority-owned contractors were
    sufficiently qualified.

    The lawsuit also claims the Obama Foundation relied on Thornton
    Tomasetti’s memo for not paying the subcontracting firms around $40.75 million for "additional costs incurred" at the site near Jackson Park in Chicago.

    McGee's lawsuit refutes the allegations in Thornton Tomasetti's memo
    that his firm was inexperienced or questionably qualified, pointing to
    II in One’s 40-year track record in the industry and its completion of major Chicagoland projects, including Millennium Park, Harold Washington Cultural Center, and the American Airlines terminal at O’Hare Airport.

    Cracks in concrete
    In a memo, Thornton Tomasetti shared images of cracked slab and exposed rebar. (Lawsuit)

    "Moreover, Bob McGee was aware and supportive of the Obama Foundation’s diversity and inclusion goals for the project and never imagined that
    the Obama Foundation’s structural engineer would single out a minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism and falsely accuse II
    in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and experience to perform
    its work, while, in the same letter, stating that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified," the memo reads.

    "In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American
    owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company on
    the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by the structural engineer," the lawsuit reads. "II in One and its joint
    venture partners … was subjected to baseless criticisms and defamatory
    and discriminatory accusations by the Obama Foundation’s structural engineer, Thornton Tomasetti."

    The Obama Foundation said it is not a party to this lawsuit, and
    insisted that it will not cause any delays in the concrete work, which
    it says has already been largely completed.

    "If the Foundation believed that any vendor was acting with a racist
    intent, we would immediately take appropriate action," Emily Bittner,
    the vice president of communications at the Obama Foundation, told Fox
    News Digital in a statement recently. The foundation has not responded
    to requests for information on the updated cost of the project.

    The Obama Presidential Center aims to honor the political career of
    former President Barack Obama. It will consist of a museum, a library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized NBA court. It
    will also house the nonprofit Obama Foundation, which is overseeing the center’s development.

    OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR FILES $40M DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ENGINEERING FIRM FOR OVERRUNS

    WATCH: Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026

    Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026Video
    CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE BEING DISPLACED BY OBAMA
    CENTER: CAUSING 'HARM TO BLACK FAMILIES'

    The project has faced problems in the past. Construction was initially anticipated to begin in 2018, but it was delayed until 2021. It is
    scheduled to open sometime in 2026.

    Some community activists claim the new center will cause prices for
    homes and rent to increase and may price out many of those who live in
    the area. Environmental activists have also been critical of the
    project, arguing that it would remove too many trees and destroy some
    bird habitats.

    Activists threatened to sue to block developments, but the plan to build
    the center was approved shortly after a lawsuit was filed, according to Newsweek. The Supreme Court denied the request to hear the case in 2021.

    Pritzker and the Obamas
    Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joins former President Barack Obama and
    former first lady Michelle Obama in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the
    Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Sept. 28, 2021, in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)




    Representatives for II in One declined to comment. Fox News Digital also contacted representatives for Thornton Tomasetti for comment.

    Court documents show that on Jan. 31, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. and Scott
    A. Schneider, a senior principal and structural engineer at the firm,
    filed for an extension of time to answer the complaint. The court
    extended the deadline for their answer to March 5, 2025

    I saw a segment about the Obama library on Newsmax the other night.
    It literally looks like it is crumbling and ready to collapse.
    Aside from that, the building is just darn ugly looking.



    --
    pothead

    Why did Joe Biden pardon his family?
    Read below to learn the reason.
    The Biden Crime Family Timeline here: https://oversight.house.gov/the-bidens-influence-peddling-timeline/

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From kevin greene@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 21 07:09:48 2025
    XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, talk.politics.guns XPost: chi.general

    On 19 Feb 2025, pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> posted some news:vp5vlg$2h5k2$1@dont-email.me:

    On 2025-02-19, John Smyth <smythlejon2@hotmail.com> wrote:
    When you hire based upon race, color, DEI bullshit, instead of based
    upon merit and qualifications you get what you deserve.

    'Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M
    racially charged suit, ballooning costs
    The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the
    project because of race'

    <https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei- >>initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit>


    'Construction of former President Barack Obama's long-awaited library
    and museum in Chicago began with ambitious plans for diversity,
    equity and inclusion (DEI) but is now plagued by huge cost overruns,
    delays and a $40.75-million, racially charged lawsuit filed by a
    minority contractor.

    From the outset, the endeavor touted DEI as a key part of enshrining
    Obama's legacy at the 19.3-acre site, where costs have ballooned from
    an initial $350 million to $830 million in 2021 based on its previous
    annual reports, with no publicly available figures available for
    updated projected costs. The project set out "ambitious goals" for
    certain construction diversity quotas, with its contracts to be
    allocated to "diverse suppliers," 35% of which were required to be
    minority-based enterprises (MBEs).

    "With these aggressive goals, the foundation is hoping to set a new
    precedent for diversity and inclusion in major construction projects
    in Chicago and beyond," the Obama Foundation wrote in a 2017 press
    release.'

    'The importance of DEI was cited on several occasions in an explosive
    lawsuit filed last month by Robert McGee, the Black co-owner of II in
    One Construction. The firm is a minority-owned business subcontractor
    that provided concrete and rebar services for the center.

    It is not clear what role DEI quotas played in the hiring of II In
    One as a subcontractor. II In One was one of three firms that made up
    a joint venture called Concrete Collective. The other firms included
    another minority firm called Trice Construction Company along with
    W.E. O’Neil. Together they formed a 51% minority-led joint-venture
    team.

    McGee alleged that he and his firm were racially discriminated
    against by Thornton Tomasetti, a New York-based company that oversees
    structural engineering and design services.

    In the lawsuit, McGee claims that Thornton Tomasetti changed
    standards and imposed new rules around rebar spacing and tolerance
    requirements that differed from the American Concrete Institute
    standards. The suit claims these changes resulted in his firm running
    up massive overruns in excess of $40 million, which put it on the
    verge of bankruptcy.

    McGee's lawsuit stems from a memorandum Thornton Tomasetti wrote to
    the project’s leading construction partners about a year ago
    claiming that II in One — and the contracting firm it teamed up
    with on the project — were responsible for numerous challenges
    during the project.

    The memorandum contained images of cracked slabs and exposed rebar to
    support its claims. Thornton Tomasetti said it spent hundreds of
    hours reviewing, analyzing, re-designing, and responding to
    corrective work and that subcontractors caused "a multitude of
    problems in the field."

    "The construction issues were all unequivocally driven by the
    underperformance and inexperience of the concrete subcontractor," the
    memorandum states.

    Thornton Tomasetti said the challenges with the concrete were due
    solely to the subcontractors and wrote that it "cannot stand by while
    contractors attempt to blame their own shortcomings on the design
    team."

    The memo goes on to state that Thornton Tomasetti and an
    architectural firm, "bent over backwards to assist what everyone
    knows was a questionably qualified subcontractor team in areas where
    a more qualified subcontractor would not have required it."

    The Obama Presidential Center
    The Obama Presidential Center pictured this week. (Fox News)

    That memorandum served as the basis of McGee’s lawsuit last month,
    as he alleges it contained "baseless criticisms and defamatory and
    discriminatory accusations."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti undermined the project’s
    diversity and inclusion goals, which were outlined in the project's
    general contract. The lawsuit also cites a DEI report by the
    project's construction manager in 2022, which outlines the project as
    "achieving significant diverse business participation." A report
    breaking down the demographics of those involved in the project was
    also released in April.

    The suit claims the plaintiffs were "subjected to unjustified and
    discriminatory conduct… which directly undermined the Obama
    Foundation’s DEI goals and commitments, and mission to bring
    transformative change to the construction industry and local
    community by providing solutions to barriers that have historically
    prevented disadvantaged businesses from participating on projects of
    this magnitude."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti violated the Civil Rights
    Act of 1866 and that its alleged "defamatory and discriminatory
    statements and actions," caused II in One, Bob McGee and the other
    subcontractors to suffer extreme financial losses and potential
    bankruptcy.

    The suit alleges that Thornton Tomasetti discriminated against II In
    One "on the basis of race."

    McGee claims Thornton Tomasetti falsely accused II in One of lacking
    sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, while
    stating in the memo that non-minority-owned contractors were
    sufficiently qualified.

    The lawsuit also claims the Obama Foundation relied on Thornton
    Tomasetti’s memo for not paying the subcontracting firms around
    $40.75 million for "additional costs incurred" at the site near
    Jackson Park in Chicago.

    McGee's lawsuit refutes the allegations in Thornton Tomasetti's memo
    that his firm was inexperienced or questionably qualified, pointing
    to II in One’s 40-year track record in the industry and its
    completion of major Chicagoland projects, including Millennium Park,
    Harold Washington Cultural Center, and the American Airlines terminal
    at O’Hare Airport.

    Cracks in concrete
    In a memo, Thornton Tomasetti shared images of cracked slab and
    exposed rebar. (Lawsuit)

    "Moreover, Bob McGee was aware and supportive of the Obama
    Foundation’s diversity and inclusion goals for the project and
    never imagined that the Obama Foundation’s structural engineer
    would single out a minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism
    and falsely accuse II in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and
    experience to perform its work, while, in the same letter, stating
    that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified,"
    the memo reads.

    "In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American
    owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company
    on the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by
    the structural engineer," the lawsuit reads. "II in One and its joint
    venture partners … was subjected to baseless criticisms and
    defamatory and discriminatory accusations by the Obama Foundation’s
    structural engineer, Thornton Tomasetti."

    The Obama Foundation said it is not a party to this lawsuit, and
    insisted that it will not cause any delays in the concrete work,
    which it says has already been largely completed.

    "If the Foundation believed that any vendor was acting with a racist
    intent, we would immediately take appropriate action," Emily Bittner,
    the vice president of communications at the Obama Foundation, told
    Fox News Digital in a statement recently. The foundation has not
    responded to requests for information on the updated cost of the
    project.

    The Obama Presidential Center aims to honor the political career of
    former President Barack Obama. It will consist of a museum, a
    library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized
    NBA court. It will also house the nonprofit Obama Foundation, which
    is overseeing the center’s development.

    OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR FILES $40M DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST
    ENGINEERING FIRM FOR OVERRUNS

    WATCH: Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026

    Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026Video
    CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE BEING DISPLACED BY OBAMA
    CENTER: CAUSING 'HARM TO BLACK FAMILIES'

    The project has faced problems in the past. Construction was
    initially anticipated to begin in 2018, but it was delayed until
    2021. It is scheduled to open sometime in 2026.

    Some community activists claim the new center will cause prices for
    homes and rent to increase and may price out many of those who live
    in the area. Environmental activists have also been critical of the
    project, arguing that it would remove too many trees and destroy some
    bird habitats.

    Activists threatened to sue to block developments, but the plan to
    build the center was approved shortly after a lawsuit was filed,
    according to Newsweek. The Supreme Court denied the request to hear
    the case in 2021.

    Pritzker and the Obamas
    Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joins former President Barack Obama and
    former first lady Michelle Obama in a ceremonial groundbreaking at
    the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Sept. 28, 2021, in
    Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)




    Representatives for II in One declined to comment. Fox News Digital
    also contacted representatives for Thornton Tomasetti for comment.

    Court documents show that on Jan. 31, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. and
    Scott A. Schneider, a senior principal and structural engineer at the
    firm, filed for an extension of time to answer the complaint. The
    court extended the deadline for their answer to March 5, 2025

    I saw a segment about the Obama library on Newsmax the other night.
    It literally looks like it is crumbling and ready to collapse.
    Aside from that, the building is just darn ugly looking.

    Sounds like his presiduncy!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From P. Coonan@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 22 02:33:13 2025
    XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, talk.politics.guns XPost: alt.politics.obama

    On 19 Feb 2025, pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> posted some news:vp5vlg$2h5k2$1@dont-email.me:

    On 2025-02-19, John Smyth <smythlejon2@hotmail.com> wrote:
    When you hire based upon race, color, DEI bullshit, instead of based
    upon merit and qualifications you get what you deserve.

    'Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M
    racially charged suit, ballooning costs
    The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the
    project because of race'

    <https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei- >>initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit>


    'Construction of former President Barack Obama's long-awaited library
    and museum in Chicago began with ambitious plans for diversity,
    equity and inclusion (DEI) but is now plagued by huge cost overruns,
    delays and a $40.75-million, racially charged lawsuit filed by a
    minority contractor.

    From the outset, the endeavor touted DEI as a key part of enshrining
    Obama's legacy at the 19.3-acre site, where costs have ballooned from
    an initial $350 million to $830 million in 2021 based on its previous
    annual reports, with no publicly available figures available for
    updated projected costs. The project set out "ambitious goals" for
    certain construction diversity quotas, with its contracts to be
    allocated to "diverse suppliers," 35% of which were required to be
    minority-based enterprises (MBEs).

    "With these aggressive goals, the foundation is hoping to set a new
    precedent for diversity and inclusion in major construction projects
    in Chicago and beyond," the Obama Foundation wrote in a 2017 press
    release.'

    'The importance of DEI was cited on several occasions in an explosive
    lawsuit filed last month by Robert McGee, the Black co-owner of II in
    One Construction. The firm is a minority-owned business subcontractor
    that provided concrete and rebar services for the center.

    It is not clear what role DEI quotas played in the hiring of II In
    One as a subcontractor. II In One was one of three firms that made up
    a joint venture called Concrete Collective. The other firms included
    another minority firm called Trice Construction Company along with
    W.E. O’Neil. Together they formed a 51% minority-led joint-venture
    team.

    McGee alleged that he and his firm were racially discriminated
    against by Thornton Tomasetti, a New York-based company that oversees
    structural engineering and design services.

    In the lawsuit, McGee claims that Thornton Tomasetti changed
    standards and imposed new rules around rebar spacing and tolerance
    requirements that differed from the American Concrete Institute
    standards. The suit claims these changes resulted in his firm running
    up massive overruns in excess of $40 million, which put it on the
    verge of bankruptcy.

    McGee's lawsuit stems from a memorandum Thornton Tomasetti wrote to
    the project’s leading construction partners about a year ago
    claiming that II in One — and the contracting firm it teamed up
    with on the project — were responsible for numerous challenges
    during the project.

    The memorandum contained images of cracked slabs and exposed rebar to
    support its claims. Thornton Tomasetti said it spent hundreds of
    hours reviewing, analyzing, re-designing, and responding to
    corrective work and that subcontractors caused "a multitude of
    problems in the field."

    "The construction issues were all unequivocally driven by the
    underperformance and inexperience of the concrete subcontractor," the
    memorandum states.

    Thornton Tomasetti said the challenges with the concrete were due
    solely to the subcontractors and wrote that it "cannot stand by while
    contractors attempt to blame their own shortcomings on the design
    team."

    The memo goes on to state that Thornton Tomasetti and an
    architectural firm, "bent over backwards to assist what everyone
    knows was a questionably qualified subcontractor team in areas where
    a more qualified subcontractor would not have required it."

    The Obama Presidential Center
    The Obama Presidential Center pictured this week. (Fox News)

    That memorandum served as the basis of McGee’s lawsuit last month,
    as he alleges it contained "baseless criticisms and defamatory and
    discriminatory accusations."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti undermined the project’s
    diversity and inclusion goals, which were outlined in the project's
    general contract. The lawsuit also cites a DEI report by the
    project's construction manager in 2022, which outlines the project as
    "achieving significant diverse business participation." A report
    breaking down the demographics of those involved in the project was
    also released in April.

    The suit claims the plaintiffs were "subjected to unjustified and
    discriminatory conduct… which directly undermined the Obama
    Foundation’s DEI goals and commitments, and mission to bring
    transformative change to the construction industry and local
    community by providing solutions to barriers that have historically
    prevented disadvantaged businesses from participating on projects of
    this magnitude."

    The lawsuit claims that Thornton Tomasetti violated the Civil Rights
    Act of 1866 and that its alleged "defamatory and discriminatory
    statements and actions," caused II in One, Bob McGee and the other
    subcontractors to suffer extreme financial losses and potential
    bankruptcy.

    The suit alleges that Thornton Tomasetti discriminated against II In
    One "on the basis of race."

    McGee claims Thornton Tomasetti falsely accused II in One of lacking
    sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, while
    stating in the memo that non-minority-owned contractors were
    sufficiently qualified.

    The lawsuit also claims the Obama Foundation relied on Thornton
    Tomasetti’s memo for not paying the subcontracting firms around
    $40.75 million for "additional costs incurred" at the site near
    Jackson Park in Chicago.

    McGee's lawsuit refutes the allegations in Thornton Tomasetti's memo
    that his firm was inexperienced or questionably qualified, pointing
    to II in One’s 40-year track record in the industry and its
    completion of major Chicagoland projects, including Millennium Park,
    Harold Washington Cultural Center, and the American Airlines terminal
    at O’Hare Airport.

    Cracks in concrete
    In a memo, Thornton Tomasetti shared images of cracked slab and
    exposed rebar. (Lawsuit)

    "Moreover, Bob McGee was aware and supportive of the Obama
    Foundation’s diversity and inclusion goals for the project and
    never imagined that the Obama Foundation’s structural engineer
    would single out a minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism
    and falsely accuse II in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and
    experience to perform its work, while, in the same letter, stating
    that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified,"
    the memo reads.

    "In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American
    owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company
    on the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by
    the structural engineer," the lawsuit reads. "II in One and its joint
    venture partners … was subjected to baseless criticisms and
    defamatory and discriminatory accusations by the Obama Foundation’s
    structural engineer, Thornton Tomasetti."

    The Obama Foundation said it is not a party to this lawsuit, and
    insisted that it will not cause any delays in the concrete work,
    which it says has already been largely completed.

    "If the Foundation believed that any vendor was acting with a racist
    intent, we would immediately take appropriate action," Emily Bittner,
    the vice president of communications at the Obama Foundation, told
    Fox News Digital in a statement recently. The foundation has not
    responded to requests for information on the updated cost of the
    project.

    The Obama Presidential Center aims to honor the political career of
    former President Barack Obama. It will consist of a museum, a
    library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized
    NBA court. It will also house the nonprofit Obama Foundation, which
    is overseeing the center’s development.

    OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR FILES $40M DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST
    ENGINEERING FIRM FOR OVERRUNS

    WATCH: Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026

    Obama Presidential Center expected to open in 2026Video
    CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS SAY THEY'RE BEING DISPLACED BY OBAMA
    CENTER: CAUSING 'HARM TO BLACK FAMILIES'

    The project has faced problems in the past. Construction was
    initially anticipated to begin in 2018, but it was delayed until
    2021. It is scheduled to open sometime in 2026.

    Some community activists claim the new center will cause prices for
    homes and rent to increase and may price out many of those who live
    in the area. Environmental activists have also been critical of the
    project, arguing that it would remove too many trees and destroy some
    bird habitats.

    Activists threatened to sue to block developments, but the plan to
    build the center was approved shortly after a lawsuit was filed,
    according to Newsweek. The Supreme Court denied the request to hear
    the case in 2021.

    Pritzker and the Obamas
    Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joins former President Barack Obama and
    former first lady Michelle Obama in a ceremonial groundbreaking at
    the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Sept. 28, 2021, in
    Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)




    Representatives for II in One declined to comment. Fox News Digital
    also contacted representatives for Thornton Tomasetti for comment.

    Court documents show that on Jan. 31, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. and
    Scott A. Schneider, a senior principal and structural engineer at the
    firm, filed for an extension of time to answer the complaint. The
    court extended the deadline for their answer to March 5, 2025

    I saw a segment about the Obama library on Newsmax the other night.
    It literally looks like it is crumbling and ready to collapse.
    Aside from that, the building is just darn ugly looking.

    Mirroring his presidency and legacy. He shot himself in the foot and kept pulling the trigger when he endorsed Kamala.

    <https://images.ctfassets.net/l7h59hfnlxjx/6wk0VisG4Z26V6hjzOt83B/f3fcdd94 0ee892b29a699169002a44d1/2024.4.17_Museum_Bldg_Stone_full.jpeg?q=75&w=2108 &fm=webp>

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)