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The #USAGM also terminated funding for #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty, which broadcasts to countries in #EasternEurope, including #Russia & #Ukraine, as well as for #RadioFreeAsia, which broadcasts to #China & #NorthKorea, acc/to letters seen by Reuters.

On its website, #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty notes that it has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian govt & warns readers in #Russia & Russia-occupied #Ukraine that they could "face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us."

The move follows #Trump signing an #ExecutiveOrder on Friday instructing #USAGM & six other little-known agencies to reduce their operations to the bare minimum mandated by the law, saying it was necessary to *shrink bureaucracy* [stop informing the public].

Trump, who clashed w/the #VoiceOfAmerica during his 1st term, picked fmr news anchor #KariLake to be its director for his 2nd term. Lake, a staunch Trump ally, has often accused *mainstream* #media of harboring anti-Trump bias.

The president of the #NationalPressClub in Washington, Mike Balsamo, released a statement on social media objecting to the moves at #VOA.

"For decades, #VoiceOfAmerica has delivered fact-based, independent #journalism to audiences worldwide, often in places where press freedom does not exist," Balsamo said.

The decision, he said, "undermines America's commitment to a free & independent press."

The Paris-based #ReportersWithoutBorders also blasted the move, w/its director general, Thibaut Bruttin, saying that it "threatens press freedom worldwide & negates 80 years of American history in supporting a free flow of #information."

Some #Republicans have accused #VOA & other publicly-funded #media outlets of being biased against *conservatives* [liars, criminals & extremists]. Last month, billionaire #ElonMusk, who is spearheading #Trump's government *downsizing* [destruction] effort, called for VOA & #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty to be shut down in a post to social media.

In addition to #USAGM, #Trump's order also targeted the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service [#FMCS], the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars [#WilsonCenter], the Institute of #Museum & #Library Services [#IMLS], the US Interagency Council on #Homelessness [#USICH], the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund [#CDFIfund], & the Minority Business Development Agency [#MBDA] for cuts.

#Trump’s #ExecutiveOrder said those agencies should eliminate all operations not codified in #statute as well as "reduce the performance of their statutory functions & associated personnel to the minimum presence & function required by #law."

So far, #Musk's #DOGE has produced potential cuts of >100k #jobs across the 2.3M-member federal civilian workforce, the freezing of #ForeignAid, & the cancellation of thousands of programs & contracts.

On Friday, several #DOGE employees arrived at the #UnitedStates Institute of #Peace [#USIP], accompanied by 2 #FBI agents, according to Gonzo Gallegos, the institute's communications director. They left after a brief discussion about the institute's status.

The institute is not part of the federal #ExecutiveBranch, but is instead an #independent, #nonprofit agency that was established by #Congress in 1984.

Development on this report:

... “The US Institute for #Peace [#USIP] called the DC police on the #Musk team members [#DOGE] in an effort to stop them from trespassing because the institute has control of its own building & the land it sits on. But instead, the DC police allowed them to enter & kicked out the institute's officials.”

#law #democracy #USpol #Trump #authoritarianism #autocracy #dictatorship #tyranny
https://apnews.com/article/doge-trump-us-institute-of-peace-03362c3440884c6b29e28ad0d88f5014

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The United States Institute of #Peace #USIP is suing over #DOGE’s “lawless assault” on the #independent #nonprofit organization established by #Congress.

#law #Trump #Musk #ArmedBreakIn #TrumpPurge #AbuseOfPower
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278529/gov.uscourts.dcd.278529.1.0.pdf

Judge Howell denied the #USIP TRO. She says she's "very offended by how #DOGE has operated" but the jurisprudence isn't clear enough about how it applies to this type of entity.

Howell is concerned about the likelihood of success because they've sued in their official capacity for personal relief.

Howell said it's undisputed that they were removed in violation of the statute, but the DC Circuit's Dellinger decision says they can't have irreparable harm.

Throughout the hearing, Judge Howell repeatedly emphasized the appalling treatment of the people who worked at #USIP. But she ultimately said there are serious questions about USIP's structure that suggest #Trump may have authority to do what he did. She will expedite case.

Judge Howell said she is unclear whether the USIP is an executive branch agency, & has requested a briefing on the matter.

Summary:
Judge Beryl Howell denied the US' Institute of #Peace's request for a #TRO that would have barred the #Trump admin from trespassing at the #USIP & would have ensured USIP retained control of their computer systems, accounts & records.
“I am very offended by how #DOGE has operated at the institute & treated American citizens trying to do a job that they were statutorily tasked to do. But that concern about how this has gone down is not one that can sway me in the factors of a TRO.”

Judge Howell added she was particularly concerned about the success of the plaintiff’s likelihood of success, particularly because they had sued in their official capacities even though they had been removed.

#USIP sued the #Trump admin after members of #ElonMusk’s #DOGE effectively executed a physical takeover of USIP HQ earlier this week.