https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/us/politics/judge-kari-lake-voa-layoffs.htmlA federal judge on Saturday ruled that the appointment of Kari Lake, the head of Voice of America’s oversight agency, was invalid, voiding mass layoffs that she had carried out at the federally funded news group last year.The decision from Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was a major rejection of President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the storied government-funded news group, which was founded to combat Nazi propaganda.If upheld by higher courts, Judge Lamberth’s ruling would allow more than 1,000 journalists and support staff members at the news group to return to their jobs. Ms. Lake, who had been leading the U.S. Agency for Global Media, V.O.A.’s parent agency, said that she would appeal the decision.Before Mr. Trump pushed to close the agency and influence its editorial decisions, Voice of America broadcast in 49 languages and had more than 360 million weekly listeners around the world, providing news services to foreign countries with limited press freedoms, such as China, Russia and Iran.
In his ruling, Judge Lamberth called Mr. Trump’s decision to have Ms. Lake lead the global media agency without Senate confirmation or appropriate procedures required for an acting head “violence to the statutory and constitutional scheme.”The judge found that Ms. Lake’s appointment violated the law that determines who can serve as an acting head of an agency whose permanent leader would require Senate confirmation. The law, the Vacancies Act, requires that an acting head must be the second senior officer of an agency, be appointed by the president with the Senate’s consent or be a senior officer who had been at the agency before a vacancy arose.Judge Lamberth found that Ms. Lake did not satisfy those conditions.Ms. Lake claimed that she had not assumed the official title of the acting chief executive of the media agency, but rather, that the authority of its chief executive position had been delegated to her. That allowed her to exercise sweeping power over layoffs, funding cuts and contract terminations at the news agency, she said.But the judge rejected her argument, writing that “allowing the president to circumvent Congress’s carefully crafted limitations” through delegations would violate the spirit of the Constitution.In a statement, Ms. Lake called Judge Lamberth, an 82-year-old appointee of President Ronald Reagan, “an activist judge” who had been “trying to stand in the way” of Mr. Trump’s push to “cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste and restore accountability to government.”
The journalists and support staff members at Voice of America who sued the Trump administration expressed hope on Saturday that broadcasting at the news organization would return to levels seen before last March, when Mr. Trump and Ms. Lake moved to shutter it.“We feel vindicated and deeply grateful,” Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper, three of the plaintiffs, said in a statement, in which they vowed to continue fighting for “restoring V.O.A.’s global operations and ensuring we continue to produce journalism, not propaganda.”Ms. Widakuswara and Ms. Jerreat are journalists on paid leave from Voice of America. Ms. Neeper is on paid leave from the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Guys, I'm starting to think Trump doesn't hire the best people.
>>1495665>Ms. Lake called Judge Lamberth, an 82-year-old appointee of President Ronald Reagan, “an activist judge” who had been “trying to stand in the way”This part is especially hilarious.
>“We feel vindicated and deeply grateful,” Patsy WidakuswaraUnamerican traitor
>>1495721but enough about Kari Lake
DRAIN THE SWAMP
>>1495670Well, there's no men in dresses stealing women's luggage on multiple occasions, so perhaps it's an improvement regardless?Which reminds me, I need to make an image of all the Demoweirdos with a caption that says, "The Adults Are Back In Charge" when this shitty poopooganda campaign wins Dems the midterms.
>>1495721>Unamerican traitorBut enough about Trump and his supporters
>>1495874This is a weird strawman even by chud demagogue standards.
>>1495874No instead they're committing war crimes in the middle east and stealing millions from the american people while driving hundreds of small businesses into bankruptcy. I think I know which one is worse.
>>1495885No, Biden is gone.
Pretty much everything the trump admin does will be overturned on appeal. His tariffs already were. He's just stuffing his pockets with as much taxpayer money as possible before he loses power in November
>>1495889The grifter in chief isn't going to stop grifting if his party loses the midterms.
>>1495890*WhenAnd he will be immediately impeached
>>1495665They should void all mass layoffs, everywhere.Tiered layoffs are already illegal for public companies everywhere that is not USA, it allows leaders to pretend their sick, failing companies are doing great while behind the scenes they are on the verge of bankruptcy and are cutting all of their production staff to stay afloat. Arguably, the only reason big companies put up with the USA is because we allow tiered layoffs while no one else lets them lay off thousands of people while turning around and saying their profits, earnings, and share prices have risen for the quarter.
>>1495893*when layoffs happen, their stock price needs to reflect it and their shareholders need to be aware of just how badly the company is doing behind the scenesfixed
>>1495665>If upheld by higher courts, Judge Lamberth’s ruling would allow more than 1,000 journalists and support staff members at the news group to return to their jobs.If anyone was wondering, judges don't actually have this kind of authority. They can choose to abide by the decision, but if they don't the only remedy the court can enforce is a financial one, so the fired people will be able to sue potentially, but that's it.
>>1495907>The judge doesn't have authority>They can only levy huge ruinous fines daily until the company is back in complianceSounds like authority to me
>>1495892Be realistic. There is no way the Senate flips in the midterms, therefore there is no way 67 Senators (the min amount needed) will ever vote to impeach Trump. There aren't enough Senate seats up for grabs.
>>1495910It's a government organization. Do you really believe a member of the judicial branch can effectively fine a portion of the executive branch until it... goes out of business?I'm not sure that's how any of this works, friend. It will quickly get corrected at a higher court because the implications are literally ridiculous. A federal circuit court judge doesn't have the authority to determine hiring and firing practices of another branch, nor of a private organization either, with the specific exception of discrimination laws which don't apply in this case - and even in THOSE cases, the judge can't order that the business owner re-hire somebody he fired in a discriminatory manner.Just isn't how the system works bud. But it will make these piss-poor decision at the circuit level which get corrected in appeals, after hundreds of thousands of dollars in lawyers fees are applied to both sides.
>>1495913Way to demonstrate how you didn't read the article, ya dingus.>In his ruling, Judge Lamberth called Mr. Trump’s decision to have Ms. Lake lead the global media agency without Senate confirmation or appropriate procedures required for an acting head “violence to the statutory and constitutional scheme.”>The judge found that Ms. Lake’s appointment violated the law that determines who can serve as an acting head of an agency whose permanent leader would require Senate confirmation. The law, the Vacancies Act, requires that an acting head must be the second senior officer of an agency, be appointed by the president with the Senate’s consent or be a senior officer who had been at the agency before a vacancy arose.>Judge Lamberth found that Ms. Lake did not satisfy those conditions.Now comes the part where you repeat what Kari Lake said about the judge being activist and then you pretend to be a Matlock-tier legal expert who can debunk the Judge's argument.
>>1495914Friend, I didn't disagree with the judge's assessment of whether or not Trump violated the vacancies act. Here's what google says verbatim:>The enforcement of the Vacancies Act is primarily monitored by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which reports violations to Congress but lacks the power to impose penalties. Private parties can also sue to void actions taken by officials serving in violation of the Act, making legal challenges a potential enforcement mechanism.https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R44997>These open questions may be clarified in future litigation. Congress could, if it so chose, add statutory language clarifying the consequences of violating the Vacancies Act. For example, Congress could amend the definition of "functions or duties" or clarify the consequences for those offices exempt from Section 3348's enforcement mechanisms.190 Congress could also amend the existing enforcement mechanisms, possibly by altering the reporting requirements or adding consequences for violations of the Vacancies Act.191Do you notice any problems here?
>>1495916(cont)Here are more problems with the judicial branch attempting to enforce the 'vacancies act' or similar legislation - it's a political question when the senate refuses to confirm an administration's appointments, NOT a legal question. The administration would simply argue that Congress is making it impossible to abide by the legislation they passed, and it would ultimately end up at SCOTUS with a winning argument because the judicial branch can't answer political questions like this. They don't have the historical or actual authority to do so.
>>1495914This is the part where you mention how the position to be acting head of Voice of America was confirmed by the senate while Joe Biden was president, during Trump's first, and during the Obama terms. So people don't claim that the Senate added a new standard for Kari Lake that didn't exist before
>>1495919If Congress doesn't like it they can impeach Trump. That's the legal AND political remedy. Not a circuit court judge nobody has ever heard of making some ruling.
>>1495919Remind me again, when the judicial branch makes a ruling, who is responsible for enforcing it?
>>1495922>If Congress doesn't like Trump and Kari Lake breaking the law they can impeach TrumpOr a judge can countermand an executive order.>B-bbut y-you can't, he's the executiveTough shit for the orange man. The judge just did it.
>>1495907>If anyone was wondering, judges don't actually have this kind of authority.They do, in fact, have this kind of authority when it comes to federal and state agencies.They can't force private companies to do it, but if you're a federal agency and your decisions are driven by corruption, that's a 10/10 actionable offense. Private companies can be as corrupt as they want, government agencies have some level of accountability they have to be held to. This is why the government is trying to shift everything to private contractors and be government-in-name-only.
>>1495928https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sidebar-sep12-pdf-1.pdfI don't necessarily agree with everything the writer says there, such as Roosevelt being 'unsuccessful' with his attempt to pack the court - the court actually reversed itself based on the threat alone, confirming that the judiciary has no ability to enforce it's decisions without cooperation from the other branches, and especially the executive - but this is a good article to start learning the history of what the court does and how it works.Circuit court judges don't dictate what the president does. Even when it reaches SCOTUS levels, the judicial branch has no authority without cooperation from the executive. In every single historical example of the judicial branch confronting the executive branch, the judicial relents and backs down, because they have no true power and their power derives entirely from the office of the President and his employees.Congress has authority determine the budget, pass laws and to impeach. The President has authority to assign people (both in the executive and the judicial branches) and to write executive orders, basically a memo directing the executive branch employees on how to enforce the law or what priorities to have, not to create new law. The judicial branch interprets the law and depends exclusively on the executive branch to enforce their decisions - and when the executive branch doesn't, the decisions don't matter. I'm not talking about how I think things should be; I'm talking about how things actually are.
>>1495889There's more to it than just money. His benefactors will lynch him if Project 2025 fails.
>>1495933What the fuck are you even talking about?Project 2025 isn't even trump's platform, that's a heritage foundation memo, Trump's policy is Agenda 47https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda_47It's his campaign manifesto
>>1495892Have you considered the fact that the Democrats don't get any control? They've doubled down on the most disgusting shit. Good luck flipping Texas when the Democrats are saying how much they love trans children
>>1495912They'll try anyway. That's because over the past decade Democrats have abandoned any platform they had and have become the, "Get dRumpf" party.They're silly.
>>1495938Well, as an atheist, I'm literally fucking praying they get trounced and become a minor party soon.But they have too much of a stranglehold on activist media for that to happen.
>>1495938>Good luck flipping Texas when the Democrats are saying how much they love trans children>Dem primary voters outnumbered Republican primary voters in the Texas primariesUh oh...
>>1495960You know the primaries don't determine the results of the elections directly.
>>1495962Dems have a more active voterbase. And Republicans stabbed every almost fucking voter in the back the moment they achieved a trifecta of power.How's your "No new wars"? Your "Lower gas prices"? Oh, how about your "Era of American manufacturing"?
>>1495941Cool GOP campaign narrative, but not even you actually believes this.
>>1495665>the storied government-funded news group, which was founded to combat Nazi propaganda.Almost like conservatives are nazis and want their nazi propaganda to flood America uncontested which is why they're trying to destroy Voice of America
>>1495888We literally blew up an entire schools worth of children last week bro
>>1495930they 9-0 twisted trumps balls over a random immigrant, fighting against the supreme court is the only battle he's afraid of having
>>1496140Willful ignorance is the worst kind, friend.
>>1495938Did trans kids cause gas prices to spike, or food inflation to skyrocket, or unemployment to increase? Did trans kids start a war in Iran and bomb a random school? Or is this just your obsession with trannies and cocks coming to the fore once again?
>>1496234Ohhhh mannn, we've got new mantras.Is this a de-butt of the new troon campaign?Still weird, and probably did all that shit too.
>>1496237>still weirdyes you are
>>1496138>WeYou mean conservatives
>>1496238Explain.
>>1495670cult members only
>>1496239>conservatives!!!This is how everyone knows you're a euroshit, trash mouthed whore.
>>1496248God forbid someone label you what you are
>>1496251I just don't feel very conservative. I don't think Trump is either.
>>1495670Of course. Trump hates people who are good at their jobs. What if he tells them to do something and they say "sir, that's not how that works?" What if someone knows more than him about something? He can't handle that. >>1495874>b-b-but TRANNIES!!!Guy can't even get the best shills.
>>1496272So, we're back to the tranny rage script?Trannies have been a disaster for the Democratic party.
>>1496287>No no they didn't lose in 2016 and 2024 due to weak candidates, residual resentment over economic failures, or uncertain policy>It was because of the TRANSGENDERSWe're gonna be laughing at you in the incoming blue wave lmao.
>>1496287You're so fucking weird. They're only a disaster for fragile faggots barely holding back their cocklust like you. Live your truth.
>>1496259Facts don't care about your feelings, sweetie
>>1495922>>1495924This is such a weird response. I thought you guys would just post the senate confirmation hearing
>>1495978Why didn't they win with their more active voterbase in 2024?
>>1495978>Dems have a more active voterbaseIs that why millions of them suddenly disappeared in 2024 without any explanation
>>1496327>>1496345Times change. Trump spent the last year either proving sitting out 2024 was a massive mistake or convincing his own voters he and Republicans were a massive mistake.
>>1496327>>1496345>>1496347How quickly you all forgot>>1496366
>>1496382Pedo had 77,302,580 votes.Corpodem had 75,017,613. 18% of that would be 13,503,170 votes, so if that rings true at all, fuck you 13 million people who let your apathy and inability to compromise destroy the country.That said, there's no fucking way that was a legit election.
>>1496408>There's no fucking way that was a legit electionElon's $1 million dollar lottery for Trump voters in battleground states was the only thing that made it remarkable.
>>1496435It wasn't a lottery for Trump voters. It was petition to Follow the Constitution
