CNN
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One US-funded international network in President Trump’s crosshairs is going to court to challenge his order of closure.
RadioFree Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts news and information in 27 languages, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and in a grant end statement last weekend it said it “will violate the constitution and federal law.”
Authorities filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Tuesday afternoon.
CNN reported Tuesday that leaders of Radio Free Europe and other US-funded networks have ignored Trump’s orders and directed the organization to continue broadcasting because they believe the termination is illegal.
The entities, including Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Network, continue to operate around the world while network executives consider their next steps.
“This is not the time to give the terrain to the propaganda and censorship of American enemies. We believe that the law is on our side and that our end-of-mise celebrations by tyrants around the world are premature,” Stephen Caps, CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Tuesday.
The US agency for Global Media spokesmen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Tuesday morning’s top story in the English version of Radio Free Asia’s website noted that “Asian dissidents” and activists are “disappointing” about the fundraising freeze.
President Trump signed an executive order Friday night calling for the dismantling of the USAGM and several other federal agencies. The next morning, the journalist at The Voice of America was immediately told to stop working, and the employees were placed on administrative leave. Some were officially fired on Sunday, while others remained in their retention patterns.
The Voice of America website is frozen in time with old articles such as “Warning about US tornadoes in the coming days” that still exist on its homepage, despite the fact that Saturday’s story is outdated.
VOA employees work directly for the federal government. So recently, Trump’s loyal Kari Lake was appointed senior adviser to the agency, and was able to take such a dramatic action.
However, most other networks of agencies are structured as nonprofits funded through federal grants, and the distance now makes a huge difference.
Lake sent a note to the network on Saturday, informing them that their grants were in effect immediately, suggesting they must refund unused funds.
For journalists who work for the network and believe in their mission to provide uncensored news coverage to censored parts of the world, the sudden end was a gut punch.
However, the network leader said reporting and programming will continue for the time being.
As Radio Free Asia noted in one of its stories, “RFA staff are still working Monday and the Washington-based news organization has yet to announce how the funding freeze will affect operations.”
Executives are trying to save most of the money left, and those involved in the matter told CNN that they responded carefully to the lake’s notes.
Responses began to come true Tuesday afternoon. Radio Free Europe sued Lake and the CEO of USAGM, Victor Morales, and the entire agency.
The network said refusing funds applied to Congress would “violate federal laws, including the federal constitution.
Others raised similar concerns when the end was first announced. The US Department of Foreign Affairs, representing some VOA employees, said “unilaterally stripping of an established body of Congress of its core functions is humiliated by the constitutional balance of power.”
Those with knowledge of the situation in both Europe and Asia have expressed concern that the funding freeze could cause harm to some journalists.
Specifically, there is a Russian-born journalist who lives in exile in Europe and works in Radio Free Europe who faces imprisonment if they return home.
“If they lose their job, it could cause the expiration of the visa and leave it in essentially legal terms,” another source told CNN. “Without further support in the country they are currently located, they face the risk of deportation as stateless. All of that is possible.”
“Many people who are citizens of authoritarian countries are very concerned because this can leave them extremely vulnerable,” the source added, reversing the “safe shelter” they were recognized.
European countries can create legitimate routes for the most vulnerable journalists, but there has been no agreement yet.
Many European lawmakers and diplomats have been gathering around Radio Free Europe since Saturday, with some suggesting that Europe could provide some funding to fill the US void.
In an interview with “Leading with Jake Tapper,” Russian-American journalist Ars Karmacheva said Radio Free Europe provides important access to information to audiences in Russia, Iran and other countries.
Without the network, global media will have “empty spaces” and “fill in Russian and Chinese propaganda,” Kamasheba said.
But for now, “We’re still in business,” she adds, encouraging financial and legal support for the suffering broadcasters.
