AG Kaul Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Lawsuits Challenging Public Media Funding Cuts

MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul filed an amicus brief along with 22 other attorneys general in support of separate lawsuits brought by National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that seek to block proposed funding cuts to their organizations and local affiliates.

“These cases stem from still another attempt by the Trump administration to ignore the law and undermine important programs that benefit the public,” said AG Kaul. “This attack on public media should be blocked.”

At issue in the cases is an executive order signed by President Trump on May 1 directing the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and executive branch agencies to end federal funding for NPR and PBS.

The coalition argues in the brief that public broadcast stations serve a critical role in providing information to the public, and that the funding cuts would create risks to public safety and erode trust by threatening coverage of local news, creating disruptions to the distribution of emergency notifications, and reducing educational programming.

In the brief, filed concurrently last week in both lawsuits, the coalition outlines some of the harms people in their states will face if the cuts move forward. These include threats to emergency notification systems like the Emergency Alert System, or EAS. Many states rely on public broadcast stations to serve as primary or secondary stations to deliver EAS messages to the public during emergencies. Additionally, other infrastructure provided by NPR and PBS serves as an important backup for emergency notifications in the event of electrical or internet outages.

The brief also outlines how public broadcasters serve important educational roles, such as delivering free, high-quality children’s programming, supporting distance learning, and providing accessible educational content for students and families, especially in areas with limited internet access.

Joining AG Kaul in filing the brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

View the amicus brief here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.