Democratic lawmakers slam Trump "vanity projects" in shadow hearing

Key Points:

• Congressional Democrats held a shadow hearing criticizing President Trump's construction projects in Washington, focusing on alleged corruption, vanity projects, and no-bid contracts benefiting political donors, while Republicans did not participate.
• Lawmakers condemned the president for imposing his likeness on public buildings and coins, with witnesses calling the administration's actions unprecedented corruption and vandalism in the capital.
• The hearing highlighted potential conflicts of interest between donors to Trump's private projects and official government actions, with concerns raised about politicizing art and the impact on institutions like the Kennedy Center.
• Democrats emphasized ongoing investigations into the financing and contracting of Trump-led projects but noted their limited power to compel disclosures without subpoena authority, which they hope to gain in the future.
• The event was informal and lacked official status due to Republican absence, yet featured strong support from attendees and witnesses, including artist Ben Folds, who criticized the politicization of the arts under Trump's leadership.