Posted on 07/23/2026 6:19:10 AM PDT by V_TWIN
Weeks after the Obama Presidential Center’s star-studded opening in Chicago, a subcontractor who previously claimed his company was stiffed for nearly $4 million has shut down operations and laid off 25 union workers.
Mike Owen, the owner of Chicago-based Adamson Plumbing Contractors, told Fox News Digital that the financial fallout forced the company to abandon about half a dozen other construction jobs and left it on the verge of collapse. Owen described the shutdown as a painful decision he believed was necessary to save the company from bankruptcy.
"Laying off close to 30 people is something that no owner in our industry wants to do," Owen said. "It’s a hard thing to do, especially when you know you can finish them and the company can still make money. But we were put in a pretty bad corner."
The company is one of several subcontractors to report financial trouble after working on the center, which was promoted as a transformative economic opportunity for small and minority-owned businesses.
A previous Fox News Digital investigation identified several subcontractors — including Black-owned firms the project was specifically intended to support — that said they were owed money or had absorbed losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions. The largest dispute involves the Concrete Collective, which is seeking more than $40 million in additional payment.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
That's the obvious solution, isn't it? But I'd wager that, if they did that, the contractors would be blackballed in Cook County for going against their God Obama and they'd be in far worse financial trouble long-term than just eating these losses.
There’s something omitted from the story. Subcontractors get monthly progress payments as the job moves along. Otherwise, every sub is financing the project. Do you really think the sub who did the sitework is going to wait 4-5 years to get paid? Nobody can stay in business like that.
So, is it the normal stupidity of the media or did all of these whining subs fail to execute their most important task to remain solvent?
State laws vary, but many states have “paid when paid” provisions that means the GC doesn’t have to pay subs until it receives its progress payment. Notice the story doesn’t say who owes the subs. To shield Obama from criticism?
Resistance is futile.
He should go rip all the plumbing out of the ugly structure.
ARE THEY AFRAID TO SUE THE BASTARD???
IT MIGHT ALREADY BE INSTALLED-—NOT ACTIVATED-—YET
ALL THE CONTRACTORS HAD TO SIGN NDA’s.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME LEGAL SOLUTION FOR THEM....
So much for "Democrats are for the unions and working people!" (and Republicans are only for their "rich buddies" who exploit the working class).
But then, commies lie about everything.
I saw the same thing on Facebook this morning about Obama buying a house in London. That the US government was going to indite him for the whole Russiagate spying on Trump.
WHICH IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
It is click bait BS.
During the construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, several subcontractors reported being owed millions of dollars for their work.
The Obama Foundation hired a prime contractor, Lakeside Alliance (a joint venture managed by Turner Construction), to oversee the building and pay the subcontractors. When disputes arose over change orders, delays, and cost overruns, some subcontractors stated they were left with unpaid invoices.
The Obama Foundation stated it has no direct contractual relationships with the subcontractors and has paid the prime contractor in full.
Lakeside Alliance acknowledged the frustrations, citing the complexities of the project’s close-out process, and stated they remain committed to resolving the outstanding matters.
But...but...I thought Democrats supported the blue collar worker and would never stiff them!
Yes. Don’t know details of any if this but generally, yes.
There is something called a “mechanic’s lien” or “contractor’s lien”; I’m not totally familiar with how they work, but you gotta pay yer bills is what it comes down to.
Why isn’t this in force?
The NDA’s are null and void if the primary refuses to pay the signers their promised funds. Since they can prove it, the NDA’s won’t hold up!
Call to war 5 times per day. As far as mosques go, it’s not visually appealing architecture.
-PJ
Having worked in the DoD for 30 years, that time spanned obamas occupation in the WH.
Upon being announced he was coming to the military base I worked at to speak I immediately scheduled a half days leave for the time he would be there.
That’s how much I despise that MFer....I didn’t want to be within 15 miles of his presence.
It was all the blacks in my office talked about for days.....and it was all I could do to keep my yap shut.
Funny how that works. The Obozo stiffed America and he’s still at it.
Mike Owen is a cracker. I wonder if he won the contract because Obama knew he was going to stiff him after the work was completed.
If one successfully establishes a mechanic’s lien, the way to to get paid is to force the liened property to be sold to generate funds to pay the amount of the lien. There would be no market for this POS monstrosity. How, then, would a lien help?
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