"Lamberth noted in his order that an April preliminary injunction in the case ordered the administration to "restore VOA programming" to "serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news." The D.C.-based judge said the court "no longer harbors any doubt that defendants lack a plan to comply with the preliminary injunction, and instead have been running out the clock on the fiscal year while remaining in violation of even the most meager reading" of USAGM and Voice of America's statutory obligations."
""The defendants' obfuscation of this Court's request for information regarding whether their RIF [reduction in force] plans comported with the preliminary injunction has wasted precious judicial time and resources and readily support contempt proceedings," Lamberth wrote. He noted the plaintiffs had not sought contempt proceedings in the case that names Lake as a defendant. "However, its deference to the plaintiffs with respect to further proceedings should not be mistaken for lenience toward the defendants' egregious erstwhile conduct," he added."
Judge Lamberth said the administration's disregard for court orders and obfuscation could support contempt proceedings. An April preliminary injunction required restoring VOA programming to serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative news source. Several VOA journalists filed suit after Lake canceled USAGM's 15-year lease and called to reduce the agency to the bare minimum. The judge found defendants lacked a plan to comply and were running out the clock on the fiscal year while violating statutory obligations. He said the defendants' failure to provide information about RIF plans wasted judicial resources, though plaintiffs have not sought contempt. White House and USAGM did not respond.
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