A federal judge has ordered more than 1,000 employees of the federally-funded Voice of America to be reinstated, about a year after the employees were let go from the broadcaster due to austerity measures imposed by the Trump administration.
The order, issued late Tuesday evening by U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, came about two weeks after he separately found that former news anchor-turned-politician Kari Lake had illegally operated the Voice of America as its acting CEO, despite not receiving Senate confirmation to the position.
In his ruling Tuesday, Lamberth said the parent organization of Voice of America, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), had a Congressional mandate to provide radio and television broadcast services to “significant region(s) of the world” with a “variety of opinions and voices.”
The order does not extend to hundreds of contractors who were also let go from Voice of America by Lake and the Trump administration last summer. Some of those contractors have returned in limited capacities at varying times over the past year to provide news and support services to what little of Voice of America remains.
It wasn’t clear if Lake and the Trump administration plan to file an appeal in the matter.
Last March, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that required USAGM to implement funding cuts, with layoffs seen as one way to achieve this. The agency was one of seven covered by the order, which otherwise remains in force.
Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz was one of hundreds of employees to lose their jobs when the cuts were put in place. On Tuesday, he sent a note to now-former workers at Voice of America praising the judge’s order but warning that the legal case was not yet over.
“While this is not likely the end of the litigation, lawmakers in both parties understand the urgent need for a strong Voice of America and have appropriated enough funds for the agency to do its job,” Abramowitz wrote. “It is time for all parties to come together and work to rebuild and strengthen the agency.”
More Stories
- Judge says Kari Lake illegally appointed CEO at Voice of America
- Exclusive: Documents outline deal between Voice of America, One America News
- Trump orders cuts at Voice of America parent agency
- Voice of America hires Kari Lake as special advisor
- Judge approves injunction that reinstates Voice of America funding
- Judge orders USAGM to restore Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty grants
- USAGM releases $7 million to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
- Appeals court reverses some rulings on USAGM funding
- USAGM fires hundreds of Voice of America contractors
- Judge blocks some layoffs at Voice of America
- VOA journalists seek restraining order against Trump administration
- Kari Lake disparages news outlets covering USAGM layoffs
- Voice of America moves forward with bureau, shortwave radio closures
- Voice of America layoffs to result in dozens of deportations
- Voice of America journalists sue USAGM over closure of broadcast outlet
- Alhurra calls out USAGM over funding cuts
- Kari Lake says USAGM to vacate studios, relocate to NASA building
- Czech Republic suggests EU fund Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
- Layoffs hit 1,000 workers at Voice of America, other broadcasters
- Journalists at government-backed broadcasters work through layoffs
- U.S. Agency for Global Media sued over cancellation of grants
- Voice of America execs, journalists file second lawsuit against USAGM
- USAGM fires Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz
- Judge questions Kari Lake’s efforts to dismantle Voice of America
- Fox News correspondent backs Voice of America during awards reception
