PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Philadelphia’s request for the restoration of the President’s House exhibit on Independence Mall.
A three-judge panel overturned the district court ruling that said the President’s House had to be restored to its previous condition. The judges said, “The city does not have any statutory, property, or contractual rights that empower it to curate the exhibits in the President’s House.”
The opinion leans heavily on the National Park Service’s proposal to replace the former exhibit with a new one, something the Park Service announced only after the District Court ruling.
The Third Circuit opinion praises the proposed new panels as “full of historical context,” concluding that they “acknowledge the evil of slavery” but also “highlight the momentous events that took place at the President’s House.”
The opinion, written by Judge Thomas Hardiman, clears the way for the Trump administration to replace the displays with new panels, but with just two weeks left until thousands of visitors are expected at Independence Mall, as well as a joint session of Congress, it’s unclear how fast the Park Service will act. It referred questions to the Interior Department, which has not yet responded.
The city had no immediate comment, but Congressman Brendan Boyle denounced the ruling:
“Just a block away from where our nation was founded, Donald Trump is choosing the path of tyrants who rewrite history instead of learning from it. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we must tell the full truth of our nation’s history — the good and the bad. Today’s ruling underscores the need for Congress to pass my Protecting American History Act to permanently block Trump from removing these exhibits. This fight is not over — and I will not rest until we stop this censorship and live up to America’s founding ideals.”
