New filing: "Abramowitz v. Lake (Voice of America Dismantling)" Doc #103: Partial Summary Judgment Download PDF | View Full Case #CL69791808

Grateful to be among these distinguished journalists to tell my story with Voice of America. While my time there has ended, VOA is in a legal fight to stay alive. Call your U.S. Senators and Congressional Representative and urge them to keep funding VOA. 👉🏽 savevoa.com/contact.html

JUST IN: DC Circuit denies Trump admin bid to carry out firing of Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz. 3-0. Judges Millett (Obama), Pillard (Obama), Garcia (Biden). Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

One of the delights of working for the Voice of America in the Cohen Federal Building was the New Deal era frescoes and murals. Along with VOA and its staff, it now appears these treasured American works of art are to be a DOGE casualty. newrepublic.com/article/20120... #SaveVOA

A federal judge agreed to temporarily suspend the Trump administration's plan to eliminate hundreds of jobs at the agency that oversees Voice of America.

It's United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in New York City. Last year at this time, my colleagues and I were reporting to our audiences all over the globe what world leaders said.

NEW: During a deposition, Kari Lake said she learned of Trump's March executive order dismantling Voice of America that very day. The next day, she put most of the broadcaster's staff on paid administrative leave — where many remain six months later. My latest for @washingtonpost.com:

Axios- Republican bill would effectively eliminate USAGM and place the Voice of America under the State Department's Office of Global Media.

Northwestern University's president announces his resignation as the school faces an ongoing funding freeze by the Trump administration https://cnn.it/41CzMJG

New filing: "Abramowitz v. Lake (Voice of America Dismantling)" Doc #75: ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiff Michael Abramowitz's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment 59 is GRANTED for the reasons set forth in a… [full entry below 👇] Download PDF | View Full Case #CL69791808

BREAKING: Judge Lamberth orders Kari Lake to sit for a deposition about whether she is operating Voice of America up to legal minimum standards. He says this is "one final opportunity" before a contempt trial.

It appears a new reduction in force is imminent at the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In a court filing today, the government revealed that retention registers were sent to unions ahead of a new RIF. The previous RIF sent in June was rescinded due to administrative errors.

U.S Judge Lamberth orders Kari Lake to submit to questioning under oath in litigation over her plans for Voice of America. Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, says she's "verging on contempt" and failed to comply with his orders for months. Lake tells NPR the judge is overreaching... (con't) 1/2

Federal District Court Judge Royce Lamberth just agreed allowing #SaveVOA plaintiffs to depose Kari Lake and others at USAGM about the plan to destroy the Voice of America , telling DoJ attorneys their client, Lake, is on the verge of contempt of court.

Kari lake tells a federal judge she wants Newsmax to run on Voice of America. She's also saying she's the CEO of its federal parent agency. There's no documentation of that. And she may not be eligible for it under the law. My updated story: www.npr.org/2025/08/13/n...

At the start of Trump's second term, Voice of America was broadcasting to the world in 49 languages. Now it's down to 4, with a skeleton staff, and barely producing any content at all. While court battles over VOA's fate continue, Trump's shut-it-down effort has succeeded. 🧵

NEW: Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz, who is suing the government, was told he's being fired on Friday after refusing reassignment to a broadcast station in North Carolina, a move he called "illegal" under federal law. @washingtonpost.com: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

apnews.com/article/voa-... orders Trump administration to explain why order to restore Voice of America wasn't followed

⚖️ As it stands, the Court still does not have a clear picture of what VOA is doing, what the defendants' plan is for VOA moving forward, or how the defendants made any of these decisions. 🧵 1/4

"Kari Lake was dressed down by representatives from both parties on her handling of government-funded media."

HFAC hearing into USAGM is underway. The defacto boss of the agency, Kari Lake, to testify. Chairman Mast is listing numerous unsubstantiated charges (see the #SaveVOA fact check) and calling the agency's actions "taxpayer funded self sabotage" and stating drastic action is needed.

“What would be the point of Voice of America if there is no voice?” Judge Royce Lamberth asked in court. www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/...

The judge did not rule on the merits of the case from the bench, but appeared to show his hand on numerous occasions, asking, “What would be the point of Voice of America if there is no voice?” www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/...

As per journalist @scottnover.bsky.social, “Judge Lamberth did not rule from the bench, but was particularly fiery today, chastising the government for failing to keep him informed and heavily implying he will order some relief in favor of VOA, pending additional filings this week from the parties.”

Voice of America journalists are fearful after Kari Lake guts network "They see people working for international networks as a spy," a West African VoA journalist tells me about his home country. "I can just disappear, you know? They could kidnap me or [I could] go to jail." / cont

Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake My story from earlier today: www.npr.org/2025/06/20/n...

The Voice of America died a second time today. open.substack.com/pub/newsguy/...

The Trump administration issued layoff notices to over 600 employees at Voice of America, a federally funded outlet known for providing independent news to countries with restricted press freedom.

After mass firings today, judge Royce Lamberth ordered an emergency hearing on Monday, requiring attorneys from all parties to appear in person.

Hours after the USAGM announced it had finished firing more than 630 Voice of America workers, a federal judge overseeing an employment-related lawsuit filed by some VOA workers called for a hearing on Monday. The judge is requiring all parties to appear in person. Our updated story:

Federal District Court Judge Lamberth has just ordered the parties in the two VOA lawsuits vs. USAGM/Kari Lake to appear in his DC courtroom Monday 11:00 am.

Trump has fired most of the Voice of America staff. Since WW2 VOA has been the voice of freedom throughout the world, particularly in counties without freedoms. In 48 languages, via digital, TV & radio VOA was invaluable. Shuttering VOA is immensely sad, stupid, destructive & anti American

"The Voice of America died a second time today." @W7VOA newsguy.substack.com/p/zombie-ver...

The Trump admin just fired most Voice of America employees.

🧵 1/3 Khemara Sok, the acting chief for VOA’s Cambodian service, said that when Cambodians think about VOA they think about America. He was quoted in The Washington Post (May 30) in a story about Kari Lake’s efforts to dismantle Voice of America, including the Khmer Service. #SaveVOA

Voice of America and another US-funded international network, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, are promoting their programming — partly to persuade the Trump administration to keep the proverbial lights on.

BREAKING: A federal judge reversed National Institutes of Health's terminations of hundreds of critical research grants that were canceled because of their alleged connection to disfavored topics, including diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender identity. This is a major win for public health.

“After months off the air, we’ve already lost a lot of audience and credibility,” Patsy Widakuswara, a former Voice of America White House bureau chief who was placed on leave and is leading a lawsuit against Ms. Lake and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said in a statement. Read on @nytimes.com

That’s a great question

NEW: Voice of America restored more than 50 staffers — mostly from the Persian news division — amid the escalating military conflict between Iran and Israel. About 800 staffers have been on leave since March amid an administration effort to dismantle the broadcaster.

Brian Wilson and Detroit's own Rodriguez in 2015.

Time to listen to Pet Sounds for 20,000th time. 🙏🏽

On June 5th, VOA journalists began receiving termination emails after Kari Lake sent notice to Congress outlining a Reduction in Force plan that would terminate around 800 employees. At the end of May, about 500 contractor colleagues were fired. USAGM plans to reduce VOA to only 17 broadcasters

Hello, Friends of VOA. Thank you for standing with us as we continue the legal fight to defend independent journalism. Many of our colleagues have lost their jobs, healthcare, and immigration protections. You can help by purchasing SaveVOA merchandise here: www.customink.com/fundraising/...

Sly Stone, whose band Sly and the Family Stone electrified Woodstock audiences and introduced a genre-fusing brand of psychedelic funk with hits such as “Family Affair” and “Everyday People,” died June 9 at his home in California. He was 82.

The Voice of America cases discussed in-depth legally.

People ask me if I've ever been starstruck interviewing someone on a story. As the child of parents who miraculously survived World War II in the occupied Philippines, this is my answer. youtu.be/9JZNut0myKY?...

Been burying the lede since May 15, when I was among the 500 contractors officially fired effective May 30. Around 40 of my former colleagues on J-1 visas have until the end of June to return to countries without press freedom where they face imprisonment or worse.

USAGM again violating the law or is ignorant of the Congressionally mandated process for making any significant changes to VOA’s operations. Either way, the outcome will be the same — the intentional destruction of VOA and silencing a major element of American public diplomacy and soft power.

More than a century after the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, one of the most horrific episodes of racial violence in U.S. history, the city’s mayor announced a $105 million reparations package on Sunday. It is the first large-scale plan committing funds to address the impact of the atrocity.