The public broadcasting service (PBS) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging a controversial executive order that is directed to the public transmission by reducing federal support to non -commercial radio and television.
The lawsuit, filed at the United States District Court in Washington, accused the administration of illegally interfering with the Public Radiodice Corporation (CPB).
PBS alleged that the executive order violates the first amendment through the discrimination of the point of view, illegal reprisals and the invasion of press freedoms.
He also said that the Administration violated the Administrative Procedure Law.
Legal action comes from PBS and its member station in northern Minnesota, Lakeland PBS.
Similar demands of NPR and CPB follow, both with the aim of blocking the efforts of President Trump to end the federal support for public transmission, a tradition in force from the Public Radiodice Law of 1967.
“The EO does not attempt to hide the fact that it is cutting the flow of funds to PBS due to the content of the PBS programming and the desire to alter the speech content.
“That is the discrimination of the shameless point of view and an infraction of the private editorial discretion of the member stations of PBS and PBS,” said the demand.
President Trump signed the executive order on May 1 aboard Air Force One while heading to Florida.
The order directs the CPB to “cease direct financing to NPR and PBS”.
According to an informative sheet of the White House, the order blocks federal funds “in the maximum extension allowed by law.”
It also prohibits indirect support: to base local radio and public television stations, and any beneficiary of the CPB subsidy, from the use of taxpayers' money to support NPR or PBS.
In addition, the order instructs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other relevant agencies to investigate whether NPR and PBS have participated in illegal discrimination.
The White House affirms that both networks “have fed partisanship and leftist propaganda with taxpayers' dollars.”
PBS warns that the measure could have a serious impact on its mission.
“If you are allowed to enter into force, the executive order would have deep impacts on the capacity of the PBS and PBS member stations to provide a rich programming uphill to all Americans,” says the complaint.
Trump's order also claims that NPR and PBS have not been able to provide “just, precise, impartial and non -partisan news.”
Both organizations vehemently deny that statement.
(ABC News)
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