Tom Rothman’s Firing From Corporation for Public Broadcasting Sparks Lawsuit

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The Public Broadcasting Corporation has filed a lawsuit against the government, alleging that the Trump administration unlawfully sought to dismiss three directors from its board, among them prominent film producer Tom Rothman.

The non-government organization is claiming, through a lawsuit brought before a federal court in Washington D.C., that the president lacks the power to dismiss board members because it’s not a federal agency under the supervision of the executive branch.

On Monday, an email was sent from the White House to Rothman, Diane Kaplan, and Laura Ross, stating the termination of their positions at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as mentioned in the complaint. The message, signed on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, stated: “I am writing to inform you that your employment with us is ending, effective immediately.”

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On Monday, Rothman, Diane Kaplan, and Laura Ross received an email from the White House, confirming their termination from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as per the complaint. The message, signed by President Donald J. Trump’s representative, read: “Your employment with us has ended, effective immediately.”

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According to the complaint, an email was sent from the White House to Rothman, Diane Kaplan, and Laura Ross on Monday, announcing their dismissal from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The message, signed by President Donald J. Trump’s representative, read: “Your position with us is terminated, effective immediately.

The legal action aims to prevent the dismissals and demands a judicial decree prohibiting the government from initiating any actions disrupting the company’s business functions.

The Trump administration’s recent dismissals mark another step in their ongoing effort to challenge the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This organization annually distributes over $500 million, primarily to entities such as NPR, PBS, and other public broadcasting networks. Recently, Republicans have proposed bills aimed at ending taxpayer financing of media, with the White House looking to recover more than $1 billion earmarked for public broadcasting. This move, if successful, would essentially eradicate all government support for these media organizations. At a recent congressional hearing, both PBS and NPR refuted allegations of political bias.

The lawsuit claims that when Congress established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, it was intended to function as an independent private entity, free from the President’s control. It supports this argument by referring to the language used in the legislation that created the organization, stating that directors can only be removed from their positions if they fail to attend more than half of all board meetings in a year.

According to their application for a temporary restraining order, the group argues that the Act and its background show that the creation of the CPB was designed specifically to keep government intervention or manipulation out of its operations.

The president selects board members for six-year positions, with the appointment needing Senate approval. The three directors whom the Trump administration sought to dismiss were initially appointed by Joe Biden.

The president chooses board members for a term of six years, which requires Senate consent. The three directors that the Trump administration aimed to discharge had originally been selected by Joe Biden.

If the decisions aren’t changed, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting warns that it could suffer damage to its public trust and potentially face dismantling. It argues that there have been breaches of the Administrative Procedures Act, a set of rules governing agency operations, as well as the Presentment, Appropriations, and Take Care Clauses. These claims suggest that executive branch actions, in their view, exceed legal boundaries established by Congress, potentially encroaching on the balance of power. In addition to this, there is another claim regarding the separation of powers.

The court scheduled a hearing in the case for this afternoon.

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2025-04-29 22:54