Management dispute prompts abrupt exit of National Constitution Center CEO Jeffrey Rosen

Jeffrey Rosen, who for 12 years was the public face of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, has abruptly been moved to an emeritus role and replaced by Vince Stango as interim president, the center announced effective immediately. The congressionally chartered center, described by the people interviewed as a nonpartisan museum and national town hall, offered no explanation for the change, a spokeswoman said.

Mr. Rosen posted on social media that he had "decided to focus more on scholarship, writing and public dialogue," and did not respond to inquiries; Mr. Stango likewise did not respond to a request for comment, the center said. The timing drew attention because the center is rolling out major events for the nation’s 250th birthday, people familiar with the matter said.

Interviews with multiple people familiar with the situation portrayed a management dispute that escalated over the past year after tensions about how Mr. Rosen and Mr. Stango’s roles intersected. Those people said Mr. Rosen had been the public-facing intellectual leader while Mr. Stango ran day-to-day operations, and that the dispute involved whether titles and responsibilities accurately reflected that division of labor.

The board includes ideologically diverse members and, until recently, J. Michael Luttig, a retired federal appeals court judge described in the article as a prominent conservative critic of President Trump.

Key Topics

Politics, Jeffrey Rosen, National Constitution Center, Vince Stango, J. Michael Luttig, Philadelphia