Correction: A previous version of this article gave incorrect names of the fired CPB board members. They are Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan and Thomas Rothman.
A federal judge on Sunday declined to block President Trump’s removal of three board members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), ruling the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate a strong likelihood the firings were unlawful or that they would suffer irreparable harm.
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington, D.C., rejected a request for a preliminary injunction filed by the three board members — Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan and Thomas Rothman — who sued the Trump administration after receiving termination notices via email on April 28.
In the lawsuit, the CPB board members argued the president lacked the authority to remove them from their position and noted that the corporation, which was created by Congress in 1967, was designed to be protected from political interference. It is the largest single source of funding for public news outlets, including PBS and NPR.
“The credible and urgent threats facing CPB, as a result of the Correspondence are not speculative or theoretical. To the contrary, such threats are well-grounded in the administration’s recent terminations of board members at other congressionally-created organizations,” they argued in the lawsuit.
Moss was not convinced Trump’s move would bring about any immediate, irreparable harm, and he indicated Trump may indeed have the authority to remove them.
“For present purposes and on the present record, it is enough to conclude that Plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden of demonstrating that they are likely to prevail on the merits of their claim for injunctive relief or that Plaintiffs are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief,” the judge’s opinion reads.
The suit comes as Trump has urged Congress to defund public broadcasters and his Federal Communications Commission chair has vowed to investigate outlets like NPR and PBS over their donation models and perceived editorial bias.
Trump and his allies have long said public broadcasters are biased against conservatives and that taxpayers should not have to underwrite their operations.
Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB, said it was pleased by part of the ruling, despite failing to win an injunction.
“We are very pleased that the Court recognized CPB is an independent, nonprofit corporation, free from governmental control or influence,” she said in a statement.
“CPB, board and management, look forward to continuing our work with policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure accurate, unbiased and nonpartisan public media is available for all Americans.”
Updated: 7:33 p.m.
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