Legal Commentary

"Was the NEA coordinating with the White House to push their agenda on a group of artists eager for and reliant upon the NEA for grants...

Asks Breitbart, who promises "explosive new information" at noon today.

UPDATE: Here:

We were encouraged to bring the same sense of enthusiasm to these ?focus areas? as we had brought to Obama?s presidential campaign, and we were encouraged to create art and art initiatives that brought awareness to these issues. Throughout the conversation, we were reminded of our ability as artists and art professionals to ?shape the lives? of those around us. The now famous Obama ?Hope? poster, created by artist Shepard Fairey and promoted by many of those on the phone call, and will.i.am?s ?Yes We Can? song and music video were presented as shining examples of our group?s clear role in the election....

It is not within the National Endowment for the Arts? original charter to initiate, organize, and tap into the art community to help bring awareness to health care, or energy & environmental issues for that matter; and especially not at a time when it is being vehemently debated. Artists shouldn?t be used as tools of the state to help create a climate amenable to their positions, which is what appears to be happening in this instance. If the art community wants to tackle those issues on its own then fine. But tackling them shouldn?t come as an encouragement from the NEA to those they potentially fund at this coincidental time.

Full post as published by Althouse on September 21, 2009 (boomark / email).