US District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington ruled that the #Trump executive order to cease funding for #NPR & #PBS is unlawful & unenforceable. The judge said the #FirstAmendment right to #FreeSpeech “does not tolerate #ViewpointDiscrimination & #retaliation of this type.”

“It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the President does not like & seeks to squelch,” wrote Moss.

#law #authoritarianism #autocracy #fascism #tyranny

The judge noted that #Trump’s executive order simply directs that all #FederalAgencies “cut off any & all funding” to #NPR, which is based in Washington, & #PBS, based in Arlington, Virginia.

“The Federal Defendants fail to cite a single case in which a court has ever upheld a statute or executive action that bars a particular person or entity from participating in any federally funded activity based on that person or entity’s past speech,” the judge wrote.

#law #FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech

Last year, #Trump, a Republican, said at a news conference he would “love to” defund #NPR & #PBS because he personally believes they’re biased in favor of #Democrats.

NPR accused the Corporation for Public Broadcasting of violating its #FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech rights when it moved to cut off its access to #grant money appropriated by #Congress. NPR also claims Trump wants to punish it for the #content of its #journalism.

#law #MafiaState #authoritarianism #autocracy #dictatorship #fascism

Last August, #CPB announced it would take steps toward closing itself down after being defunded by #Congress.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Theodore Boutrous said Tuesday’s ruling is “a victory for the #FirstAmendment & for #FreedomOfThePress.”

#law #FreeSpeech #NPR #PBS #Trump #MafiaState #AbuseOfPower #authoritarianism #autocracy #despotism #dictatorship #fascism #tyranny