NPR sues Trump administration over government order to chop funding to public media

WASHINGTON — Nationwide Public Radio and three native stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday in opposition to President Donald Trump, arguing that an government order geared toward chopping federal funding for the group is illegitimate.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court docket in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. argues that Trump’s government order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Modification.

Trump issued the chief order earlier this month that instructs the Company for Public Broadcasting and different federal businesses “to stop Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out oblique sources of public financing for the information organizations. Trump issued the order after alleging there may be “bias” within the broadcasters’ reporting.

“The Order’s aims couldn’t be clearer: the Order goals to punish NPR for the content material of reports and different programming the President dislikes and chill the free train of First Modification rights by NPR and particular person public radio stations throughout the nation,” the lawsuit alleges.

“The Order is textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Modification, and it interferes with NPR’s and the Native Member Stations’ freedom of expressive affiliation and editorial discretion,” it stated.