Another no-bid contract has been issued, this time to gild statues in Washington, D.C. surrounding the Lincoln Monument in 24-karat gold. The statues are equestrian statues known as Arts of War and Arts of Peace. An Arts of War statue is pictured above.

These statues are bronze, so that a good cleaning and polishing would have been enough to bring out their features, and freshen their looks while leaving a lovely patina on them.

But President Grifter wanted them covered in the same quality of gold used to cover Wyoming's state capitol dome seven years ago. Because why not? It's only taxpayer money, after all.

So, according to NOTUS, a no-bid $5 million contract was awarded to The Gilders' Studio in Maryland to restore them not to their original bronze glory, but with an entirely new look, resplendent with thick gold leaf. It's unknown whether the gold is part of the contract award.

Welcome to the New Gilded Age.