Latest news with #JessicaLevinson
Bloomberg
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Newsom Sues Trump Over National Guard Deployment
Jessica Levinson, director of the Public Service Institute at Layola Law School, breaks down the 'broad' presidential authority used to deploy the national guard to Los Angeles protests and the argument California Governor Gavin Newsom may use to fight the move. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Guardian
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
NPR lawsuit aims to strike a blow for press freedom against Trump's attacks
In the Trump administration's unprecedented war on the American media, a lawsuit brought by public broadcasters could mark a much-needed strike back for press freedom. The lawsuit, brought by NPR and three Colorado-based public radio stations, challenges an executive order that cut federal funding to what Donald Trump described as 'biased media', with lawyers arguing that the order violated the first amendment right to free speech. The decision by NPR, KSUT, Roaring Fork and Colorado Public Radio to take on Donald Trump comes as the president has targeted multiple news organizations through lawsuits and investigations – and as experts warn some outlets are acquiescing to Trump's war on the media. NPR's lawsuit could be a prominent pushback against that. The lawsuit argues that Trump's executive order, signed on 1 May, violates the first amendment by targeting NPR for news coverage the president considers 'biased'. NPR and its partners are aiming to have the order, which would strip direct and indirect funding from NPR and PBS, permanently blocked and declared unconstitutional. Experts believe NPR has a strong case, and that it could be Trump's attacks on public media that could hand NPR a win. The president and the White House have described NPR and PBS as being 'leftwing propaganda', and has criticized the network for discussing LGBTQ themes. 'Trump's honesty about why he wants to eviscerate federal funding for NPR and PBS could be his legal downfall,' Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School and host of the Passing Judgment podcast, wrote in an op-ed for MSNBC. 'NPR has thus argued that Trump admitted that he's using his power as head of the executive branch of our government to target NPR and PBS because he disagrees with the content of their speech.' Levinson wrote: 'The Trump administration isn't targeting NPR because it covers political news. To the contrary; the administration appears to have explicitly admitted that it's targeting NPR because of what Trump considers to be its bias as it covers political news. NPR's lawsuit argues that, therefore, Trump's executive order is 'textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination.'' Trump's pursuit of NPR follows a pattern of the president's second term, with Trump keen to target media organizations he believes have reported on him negatively. The Associated Press, one of the world's premier news agencies which is relied upon by thousands of news outlets, was banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One after it refused to use Trump's preferred term of 'Gulf of America' to refer to the Gulf of Mexico. Trump is suing the owner of CBS News for $10bn, alleging the channel selectively edited an interview with Kamala Harris, which the network denies, and the Des Moines Register newspaper, which he accuses of 'election interference' over a poll from before the election that showed Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa. NPR has been vocal in its opposition to the lawsuit. 'It is evident from the president's executive order, as well as statements released by the White House and prior statements by the president that we are being punished for our editorial choices,' Katherine Maher, the CEO of NPR, said in an interview with the station this week. Maher added: 'We are not choosing to do this out of politics. We are choosing to do this as a matter of necessity and principle. All of our rights that we enjoy in this democracy flow from the first amendment: freedom of speech, association, freedom of the press. When we see those rights infringed upon, we have an obligation to challenge them.' The funding cut, NPR said, 'would have a devastating impact on American communities across the nation', adding: 'Locally owned public media stations represent a proud American tradition of public-private partnership for our shared common good.' 'The Corporation for Public Broadcasting [which distributes funds NPR and other public media] is creating media to support a particular political party on the taxpayers' dime,' Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement. 'Therefore, the president is exercising his lawful authority to limit funding to NPR and PBS. The president was elected with a mandate to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and he will continue to use his lawful authority to achieve that objective.'
Fox News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
BROADCAST BIAS: Media coverage of NPR lawsuit against Trump hides what public media really is
National Public Radio started out its typically partisan week by filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over his attempts to defund NPR and PBS. Their lawyers arrogantly argued that Trump's actions violated the First Amendment. Somehow, freedom of speech requires conservatives to fund speech they oppose. Trump voters must fund virulently anti-Trump "journalism." Surprisingly, the morning and evening newscasts of ABC, CBS and NBC didn't report on this. But their streaming channels did. On the streaming CBS "Daily Report," they brought on legal expert Jessica Levinson to buttress the free-speech argument. "The First Amendment arguments that NPR brings up here, I think, are quite strong … because what's in the public record is the Trump administration saying, we don't like the content of what NPR is disseminating." At least CBS anchor Lindsey Reiser quoted from the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which clearly states that there should be "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature." That passage has been ignored on a daily basis since 1967. NPR was mentioned in passing on Wednesday's "CBS Mornings." Reporter Jarred Hill cited, "On NPR Tuesday, Harvard`s president said the university has made real progress dealing with antisemitism." This was an interview with Harvard President Alan Garber where NPR morning host Steve Inskeep threw anti-Trump softballs, including: "Is the administration trying to damage, destroy or capture your university?" If you would like to count ABC's "The View" as a news show – and it's technically a product of ABC News, which is perpetually embarrassing – on Thursday, May 29, they celebrated NPR "founding mothers" Susan Stamberg and Nina Totenberg for Jewish American Heritage Month. Over treacly music, Sarah Haines hailed Stamberg as the first female anchor of a national broadcast news program with a "neutral and relatable tone." Then she gushed over Totenberg for winning seven awards from the American Bar Association, as if that group isn't a gaggle of Democrats. Haines oozed that "Nina was dubbed the Queen of Leaks by Vanity Fair for her award-winning reports on top secret Supreme Court Watergate deliberations and for breaking the bombshell story of sexual harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas – which he has denied." In reality, Totenberg has been a queen of leaks from Democrats seeking to damage Republican Supreme Court picks. She succeeded in ruining Douglas Ginsburg in 1987, failed to get Thomas in 1991, and she relished the unproven claims of Brett Kavanaugh's accusers in 2018. But she wrote an entire book relating how she and leftist Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg were the best of pals titled "Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships." The "PBS News Hour" came to NPR's defense with a softball interview on May 27 that included more bias-denying absurdity from NPR CEO Katherine Maher. PBS host Geoff Bennett mentioned that Republicans accuse NPR of a liberal bias, and longtime NPR editor Uri Berliner "accused the network of having what he called a lack of viewpoint diversity. How do you respond to those critiques?" Mayer unleashed the chutzpah: "Well, I first of all, respond by saying we're a nonpartisan news organization. We seek to be able to provide a range of different viewpoints in terms of who we bring on air, the stories that we tell. ... My view is that that is a mischaracterization of our work. We do not seek to favor any political party at all." Bennett didn't note that Berliner investigated NPR news employees who registered to vote in the District of Columbia and found 87 Democrats and zero Republicans. That might make Maher look foolish. This was like CBS's "Face the Nation" hosting Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger on May 4. [Host Margaret Brennan helpfully suggested that when the president described the networks as "radical left monsters," she could only think of Cookie Monster from "Sesame Street." These networks are just like cute and fuzzy Muppets.] Brennan gently asked Maher about complaints about fairness: "How do you respond to the implication that your news coverage is not?" Maher typically claimed "We have an extraordinary Washington desk, and our people report straight down the line, and I think that not only do they do that, they do so with a mission that very few other broadcast organizations have, which is a requirement to serve the entire public.." Calling NPR "straight down the line" makes about as much sense as claiming the Rocky Mountains are a prairie. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik was ordered to cover this lawsuit in the most one-sided way, both on "Morning Edition" and the very inaccurately titled evening newscast "All Things Considered." They didn't consider offering a conservative critique of the NPR lawsuit. At least CBS anchor Lindsey Reiser quoted from the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which clearly states that there should be "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature." That passage has been ignored on a daily basis since 1967. Folkenflik also appeared on the NPR talk show "Here & Now," where co-host Scott Tong intoned the usual silly corporate language: "No NPR official or news executive has had any influence on this story." And then the entire interview could be summarized as "So tell us what NPR's CEO said about this?" In other words, "No NPR executive viewed this beforehand" and ... it would pass with flying colors if they did. The idea that there is any objectivity or balance on this network is easily shattered by listening to it.
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump's plan to accept free Air Force One replacement from Qatar raises ethical and security worries
Critics of the plan worry that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns. 'This is unprecedented,' said Jessica Levinson, a constitutional law expert at Loyola Law School. 'We just haven't tested these boundaries before.' Trump tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he wouldn't fly around in the gifted Boeing 747 when his term ends. Instead, he said, the $400 million plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It would go directly to the library after I leave office,' Trump said. 'I wouldn't be using it.' Advertisement However, that did little to quell the controversy over the plane. Democrats are united in outrage, and even some of the Republican president's allies are worried. Laura Loomer, an outspoken conspiracy theorist who has tried to purge disloyal officials from the administration, wrote on social media that she would 'take a bullet for Trump' but said she's 'so disappointed.' Congressional Republicans have also expressed some doubts about the plan. Advertisement 'My view is that it would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal,' said Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley. And Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul flatly said he was a 'No' on whether Trump should accept the plane. When asked to elaborate on his reasoning, Paul replied: 'I don't think it looks good or smells good.' The Republican shrugged when asked by a reporter if there were 'constitutional questions.' Trump will likely face persistent questions about the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar. Why does Trump want the Qatari plane? The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades, and Trump is eager to replace them. During his first term, he displayed a model of a new jumbo jet in the Oval Office, complete with a revised paint scheme that echoed the red, white and dark blue design of his personal plane. Boeing has been working on retrofitting 747s that were originally built for a now-defunct Russian airliner. But the program has faced nearly a decade of delays — with perhaps more on the way — from a series of issues, including a critical subcontractor's bankruptcy and the difficulty of finding and retaining qualified staff who could be awarded high-level security clearances. The new planes aren't due to be finished until near the end of Trump's term, and he's out of patience. He has described the situation as 'a total mess,' and he has complained that Air Force One isn't as nice as the planes flown by some Arab leaders. 'It's not even the same ballgame,' he said. Advertisement A 13-year-old private Boeing aircraft that President Trump toured in February takes off from Palm Beach International Airport. Ben Curtis/Associated Press Trump said Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, offered a replacement plane that could be used while the government was waiting for Boeing to finish. 'We give free things out,' he said. 'We'll take one, too.' He bristled at suggestions that he should turn down the plane, comparing the potential gift to favors on the golf course. 'When they give you a putt, you pick it up and you walk to the next hole and you say, 'Thank you very much,'' he said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota expressed skepticism. 'I understand his frustration. They're way behind schedule on delivering the next Air Force One,' the Republican told reporters. 'Whether or not this is the right solution or not, I don't know.' Mississippi GOP Sen. Roger Wicker said that any plane 'needs to be gifted to the United States of America.' He added that whether the U.S. should accept a Qatari plane warranted further inquiry. 'There'll be some questions about that, and this issue, I expect, will be vetted by the time a decision needs to be made,' he said. Will the new plane be secure? The Qatari plane has been described as a 'palace in the sky,' complete with luxurious accommodations and top-of-the-line finishes. But security is the primary concern when it comes to presidential travel. The current Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War. They are hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and include a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room. They are also equipped with air-to-air refueling capabilities for contingencies, though it has never been utilized with a president on board. Advertisement A former U.S. official briefed on the Air Force One replacement project said that while it would be possible to add some features to the Qatari jet, there was no way to add the full suite of capabilities to the plane on a tight timetable. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive program, said it would be a risk for presidents to fly on such a jet. One of the most important features of Air Force One is the communications capabilities. Presidents can use the plane as a flying Situation Room, allowing them to respond to crises anywhere on the globe. However, on Sept. 11, 2001, Republican President George W. Bush was frustrated by communications issues and ordered up massive technology upgrades over subsequent years to improve the president's ability to monitor events and communicate with people around the world. The new ones under development by Boeing are being stripped down so workers can replace the standard wiring with shielded cabling. They're also modifying the jet with an array of classified security measures and communications capabilities. Because of the high standards for ensuring a president can communicate clearly and securely, there are fears that Trump would be compromising safety by rushing to modify the Qatari jet. 'Disassembling and evaluating the plane for collection/spy devices will take years,' William Evanina, who served as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center during Trump's first term, wrote on social media. He said the plane should be considered nothing more than 'a gracious presidential museum piece.' Is any of this legal or ethical? Even for a president who has blurred traditional lines around public service and personal gain, Trump's plans to receive a jumbo jet as a gift has rattled Washington. Advertisement The Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting things of value, 'This is a classic example of what the founders worried about,' said Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota and former White House ethics chief under Bush. 'But I don't think the founders anticipated it would get this bad.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday that the details of the donation are 'still being worked out' but would be done 'in full compliance with the law.' She dismissed idea the idea that Qatar wanted to influence Trump. 'They know President Trump, and they know he only works with the interests of the American public in mind,' she said. Trump faced a legal fight over emoluments during his first term, when he opened the doors of his D.C. hotel to lobbyists, business executives and diplomats. His lawyers argued that the founders didn't intend to ban transactions representing an exchange of a service like hotel space for money, only outright gifts. But some ethics lawyers disagreed, and it's not clear if Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and other countries were paying full price or more for when they used the hotel. In his second term, Trump's family business has been very busy overseas. In December, it struck a deal for two Trump-branded real estate projects in Riyadh with a Saudi firm that two years earlier it had partnered with for a Trump golf resort and villas in Oman. And in Qatar, the Trump Organization announced last month another Trump branded resort along the coast. Advertisement Four Democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee — Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Chris Coons of Delaware, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Murphy of Connecticut — issued a statement saying Trump's plan 'creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government.' 'No one — not even the president — is above the law,' they said. Condon reported from New York. Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Lolita Baldor and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
National Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Trump plan to accept free plane from Qatar to replace Air Force One raises ethical, security concerns
WASHINGTON — For President Donald Trump, accepting a free Air Force One replacement from Qatar is a no-brainer. Article content Article content 'I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,' the Republican told reporters on Monday. 'I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'' Article content Critics of the plan worry that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns. Article content Article content 'This is unprecedented,' said Jessica Levinson, a constitutional law expert at Loyola Law School. 'We just haven't tested these boundaries before.' Article content Article content Trump tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he wouldn't fly around in the gifted Boeing 747 when his term ends. Instead, he said, the $400 million plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece. Article content 'It would go directly to the library after I leave office,' Trump said. 'I wouldn't be using it.' However, that did little to quell the controversy over the plane. Democrats are united in outrage, and even some of the Republican president's allies are worried. Laura Loomer, an outspoken conspiracy theorist who has tried to purge disloyal officials from the administration, wrote on social media that she would 'take a bullet for Trump' but said she's 'so disappointed.' Article content Congressional Republicans have also expressed some doubts about the plan. Article content 'My view is that it would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal,' said Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley. Article content And Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul flatly said he was a 'No' on whether Trump should accept the plane. When asked to elaborate on his reasoning, Paul replied: 'I don't think it looks good or smells good.' The Republican shrugged when asked by a reporter if there were 'constitutional questions.' Article content Article content Trump will likely face persistent questions about the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar. Article content Boeing has been working on retrofitting 747s that were originally built for a now-defunct Russian airliner. But the program has faced nearly a decade of delays — with perhaps more on the way — from a series of issues, including a critical subcontractor's bankruptcy and the difficulty of finding and retaining qualified staff who could be awarded high-level security clearances.
