On Tuesday, Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to transfer funds already allocated by the US Congress to 'Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)'. The judge's order concerns $12 million that should have been allocated in April.
As noted by 'Radio Liberty', in his ruling, the judge ordered USAGM to immediately pay the media corporation the funds allocated by Congress for April. The court concluded that USAGM's refusal to pay the funds under the same conditions as the previous month was arbitrary. The court rejected the defendant's argument that it could withhold funds until the corporation signed a grant agreement imposing illegal and unfeasible conditions on its activities. Judge Lamberth concluded that USAGM's actions 'threaten the very existence' of the media corporation.
As the judge pointed out, 'after all, it is Congress that makes laws in this country. In this case, for example, it was Congress that decided that the money in question should be allocated to RFE/RL'.
'Today's decision, ordering USAGM to allocate the monthly amount from the annual budget allocated by Congress to RFE/RL, means that our journalists can continue their work, holding dictators and despots accountable,' said RFE/RL President Steven Capus in a statement. 'We hope to promptly receive the funds not allocated in April, as this month we were forced to send employees on unpaid leave and cut programs for regions critical to US national security.'
In March, USAGM announced the freezing of approximately $75 million allocated by Congress to fund the media corporation's activities for the current fiscal year. This decision was made by the interim leadership of USAGM based on an executive order by US President Donald Trump, aimed at eliminating inefficient spending of American taxpayers' money.
'Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty' challenged the legality of USAGM's actions in the federal district court in Washington. On March 25, Judge Lamberth ruled in favor of RFE/RL, but the trustee organization did not transfer the funds, conditioning their release on unacceptable terms. As a result, 'Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty' was forced to return to court. 'We will continue legal actions and cooperate with USAGM, to ensure payments for the remaining part of the fiscal year,' emphasized Steven Capus.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent' and 'undesirable' organization.