The word "controversial" now attaches itself to the planned Obama Presidential Center that is grabbing 19 acres of Chicago park land to build a monument to Barack Obama.  As AT reported Wednesday, the project already is being sued in federal court for obtaining the taxpayer-owned land under the pretense of building an official presidential library under the control of the National Archives and open to scholarly research as a document repository – and then switching to a privately controlled monument to the man with no official archive functions.  Yesterday, the OPC surmounted the first legal hurdle before construction can begin, approval by the Chicago Plan Commission.

The OPC plan was unanimously approved, with two commission members recusing themselves owing to their involvement in the Center – but not without demonstrators for and against the project outside City Hall and inside, as well, and seven hours of testimony.

WLS-TV screen grab.

Chicago Sun-Times video screen grab.

It is clear that the powers that be in Chicago want this project, and it may well obtain clearance next week for the final two steps necessary to begin construction.  The Zoning Commission is expected to approve the necessary changes and present the plan to the Chicago City Council on Wednesday.

All in all, it is a fitting legacy for Obama: a land grab based on a bait-and-switch fraud, the use of high-level influence to put the fix in, and ignoring the protests of those hurt by the plans to gratify the ego of Barack Hussein Obama.

Screen grab from OPC official video.

Media note: Time Magazine's coverage still refers to the project as a "Presidential Library and Museum."  Clueless!