Donald Trump recently signed an executive order banning businesses from obtaining future funds for public broadcasts of $500 million in funding, but there are issues.
The company for public broadcasting is not part of the federal government.
Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of Corporation for Public Broadcasting, said in a statement Friday.
The CPB is not a federal enforcement agency subject to the president’s authority. Congress directly granted and funded the CPB to be a private nonprofit that is completely independent of the federal government.
In creating the CPB, Congress has explicitly prohibited any U.S. departments, agents, officers or employees to exercise direction, supervision, or over, or over educational television or radio broadcasts. [CPB] or either its grantee or contractor… ’47USC §398(c).
Trump can reimburse as many legal powers as he does with the Wendy’s as he can reimburse NPR and PBS.
Rep. John Larson (D-CT) noted that many local NPR and PBS stations rely on federal funds.
