Judge blocks Trump’s shutdown of VOA

KABUL (Pajhwok): A US judge has directed the Trump administration to restore all jobs and funding for the Voice of America and other government-supported news outlets.

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ruled on Tuesday the administration acted “without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world”.

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s order, more than 1,300 VOA employees, including about 1,000 journalists, were placed on leave, the BBC reported.

The administration’s efforts to shut down the news outlet were in conflict with the US law and constitution, Lamberth said.

“VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence” due te to job and funding cuts, he noted in the ruling.

The administration acted “without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world”, the judge said.

He ordered the Trump team to reinstate employees and contractors to the positions they held before the executive order. Similar action was ordered in favour of Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

According to the verdict, the Trump administration was not empowered to close down VOA — funded by Congress and having a legislative mandate to deliver credible news.

The judge commented: “It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants’ actions here.”

PAN Monitor/mud