Court Rules Against USAGM Shuttering Voice of America, Other Broadcasters
The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) on Tuesday to restore the shuttered Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Middle Eastern Broadcast Network.
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Judge Royce Lamberth also ordered the Trump administration to “take all necessary steps to return USAGM employees and contractors to their status” prior to the agency’s dismantling of Voice of America and other broadcasters in response to President Donald Trump’s March 14 executive order. The Trump administration laid off more than 1,300 USAGM employees as a result. Lamberth's ruling doesn't affect Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is the subject of a separate legal challenge.
The Trump administration “had no method or approach towards shutting down USAGM that this Court can discern,” Lamberth said. “They took immediate and drastic action to slash USAGM, without considering its statutorily or constitutionally required functions as required by the plain language of the EO, and without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world.” It's “hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants’ actions here.” USAGM didn't immediately comment.
Voice of America's White House bureau chief, Patsy Widakuswara, who led other former employees in suing USAGM, said Tuesday that she and the other plaintiffs “are grateful for this ruling, but we know this is just a small step forward as the government is likely to appeal.” The employees “are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration’s unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate to tell America’s story through factual, balanced, and comprehensive reporting.”