William Howard Taft was inaugurated as President in March 1909. Taft revoked Executive Order 1010 on May 21, 1909. There are differing explanations for Taft's actions. Historians Sue Kohler and Christopher Thomas state that Taft supported the idea of a fine arts commission, but wanted it to have a basis in legislation. But a contemporary report in the "Washington Post" noted that the council was highly controversial, and Congress had passed legislation prohibiting the expenditure of funds for any federal body not established by law. The newspaper said the legislation was intended to defund the Council of Fine Arts.