Even the Kennedy Center’s top lawyer has rock ‘n’ roll dreams.
Kennedy Center general counsel Elliot Burke tried last fall to book his own cover band the Deplorables to play at the center’s jazz-themed speakeasy, according to three people familiar with the matter. People and others were given anonymity to speak openly on a sensitive issue.
He wanted the Deplorables to play at the Speakeasy – part of the centre’s rooftop bar. It is also known as “Afterhours Jazz Club”” has been described as","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/jazz/2025-2026/kc-speakeasy/","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0000","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0001","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>It has been described as an “afterhours jazz club”. Hidden in the Sky” – even though it’s a rock cover band made up of amateur musicians, he said.
According to multiple people familiar with the matter, the staff responsible for organizing acts at the Speakeasy ultimately rejected Burke’s requests because they believed it was a conflict of interest.
Burke did not comment, but a Kennedy Center official denied that he had ever tried to book his band at the Speakeasy.
Kennedy Center officials said in a statement, “Programmers asked Burke about performing, but he didn’t feel the band was the right genre and he didn’t want the speakeasy to be seen as a vanity project for the center’s staff.”
However, Politico has seen evidence that Burke, who plays guitar for his own band, did in fact attempt to have his band play at the venue.
Outside the Kennedy Center, Burke is outside counsel for several top Republican politicians, including former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and does legal work for ’80s music acts like Asia and Night Ranger. His online resume for his law firm Burke Farah dave grohlshows their pictures with","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.berkefarah.com/about/eliot-s-berke/","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0002","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0003","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Shows photos of him with Dave GrohlLionel Richie and others.
Burke did some legal work for the author of this article in 2018 and 2019.
According to the two people cited earlier, as well as a third person familiar with the matter, Burke pressured the center to appoint the British prog-rock band Yes, which Burke represents, to perform at the Kennedy Center. Yes Others familiar with the situation said that Burke never interacted directly with the band during the negotiation process to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Yes was not booked and a spokesperson for the band said in a statement: “We ultimately had to decline the offer they made because we got a better offer elsewhere in DC.”
During Donald Trump’s second term, the President has attempted to transform the D.C. institution both culturally and physically. He appointed close associates to key positions at the Kennedy Center, including appointing Richard Grenell as interim head. Grenell, who served as Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, has resigned from his role at the Kennedy Center.
In March, Kennedy Center started laying off employees","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/03/26/kennedy-center-layoff/","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0004","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0005","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>started laying off employees Before two years of closure for renewal","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/16/kennedy-center-closure-trump-00830410","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0006","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0007","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>closed for renovation. Center also faced important issuesIs","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/11/kennedy-center-fundraising-shop-in-Deep-turmoil-after-trump-takeover-00776655","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0008","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0009","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>has also faced significant issues With your fundraising campaign.
The center’s board, chosen by Trump, previously voted to add the president’s name to the institution, calling it the Trump Kennedy Center. However, Congress has not approved this change.
It is not unheard of for people directly connected to the Kennedy Center to demonstrate there. Sammy Miller, former senior director of music programming at the Kennedy Center and a professional musician","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.sammymillercongregadation.com/","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d000a","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d000b","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>a professional musicianAccording to him, he played at least once at the Speakeasy, for which he was in charge of organizing the musicians. a youtube video","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqXZNYH88CM","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d000e","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d000f","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>a youtube video The center posted late last year. Two people familiar with the matter said he was not paid. miller and his band Displayalso did","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy6IttZE10g","_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0010","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-7d1d-debe-a7dd-7ffd694d0011","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>also demonstrated At the Kennedy Center in 2016.
When Miller was asked about his performance he declined to comment.
