The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has sued the government, accusing the Trump administration of illegally trying to fire three members of the company’s board, including top Hollywood studio chief Tom Rothman.
The nonprofit corporation, in a lawsuit filed in federal court in D.C., alleges that the president doesn’t have the authority to terminate board members since it’s not a federal agency subject to the executive branch’s control.
The White House on Monday emailed Rothman, Diane Kaplan and Laura Ross, notifying them of the firings, according to the complaint. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is terminated effective immediately,” the message reads.
The lawsuit seeks to block the terminations and asks for a court order barring the government from taking further action that would interfere with company operations.
The Trump administration’s firings are the latest turn in its campaign against the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which spends more than $500 million annually promoting organizations like NPR, PBS and other public broadcasters. Republicans have introduced legislation to eliminate taxpayer funding of media, with the White House angling to claw back north of $1 billion slated for public broadcasting in a move that would effectively eliminate all government support for such media organizations. At a congressional hearing last month, PBS and NPR denied accusations of liberal bias.
The lawsuit argues that Congress intended for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to be a private corporation immunized from the president’s control. It points to language in legislation that created the group that directors are only forced to forfeit their positions if they attend fewer than half of all board meetings in a year.
“The Act and the legislative history makes it clear that CPB was created in this way, precisely to prevent governmental control or influence over its operations,” states the group’s bid for a temporary restraining order.
Board members are appointed by the president to six year terms, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The three directors who the Trump administration tried to fire were all tapped by Joe Biden.
If the terminations are allowed to stand, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting says it’ll be harmed by the loss of public trust and the “possible destruction of the CPB itself.” It claims violations of the Administrative Procedures Act, which governs the way in which agencies operate, and the Presentment, Appropriations and Take Clare Clauses for what it considers overreach by the executive branch to circumvent laws passed by Congress, among another claim that covers the separation of powers.
The court scheduled a hearing in the case for this afternoon.